Yohannes Tessema, an executive member of the Boro Democratic Party and Member of Parliament, was arrested on March 9 by regional security forces. His arrest relates to his opposition to controversial legislative changes that increased regional council seats from 99 to 165. The Boro Democratic Party argues the changes are unconstitutional and disregards constitutional mandates regarding electoral districts. The ruling Prosperity Party has yet to comment on the situation.
Yohannes Tessema, an executive member of the Boro Democratic Party (BDP) and Member of Parliament from the Benishangul Gumuz region, has been arrested by regional security forces amid ongoing protests regarding recent legislative modifications. His arrest occurred on March 9 while he was preparing to travel to Addis Ababa to file complaints about these changes with the House of Federation.
Haile Embiyale, a colleague within the Boro Democratic Party’s central committee, stated that Yohannes is currently detained at the district two police station in Assosa. At present, there is no indication that he has made a court appearance since his arrest. The arrest seems to relate to his opposition to recent motions in the regional parliament, particularly his intention to contest new legislative measures.
The disputed legislative reforms have significantly expanded the regional council from 99 members to 165, a modification the Boro Democratic Party claims is unconstitutional. In their statement, they condemned the legislation (202/2017), asserting that it was enacted without proper consideration of population criteria mandated by Article 54 (3) of the Ethiopian Constitution, which governs electoral procedures.
Concerns have been raised regarding the legitimacy of the regional council’s ability to enact such changes, particularly those affecting general elections, which are traditionally overseen by the National Dialogue Commission. Moreover, the ruling Prosperity Party, which boasts over 15 million members, has yet to respond to the allegations surrounding Yohannes’ arrest.
The situation is exacerbated by accusations from the regional government alleging that the opposition party intends to destabilize the region, which has suffered significant security issues, including violence against ethnic Amharas.
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The arrest of Yohannes Tessema has brought significant attention to the political controversies stemming from recent legislative changes in the Benishangul Gumuz region. The Boro Democratic Party strongly opposes alterations that they deem unconstitutional, particularly the expansion of council seats without proper demographic considerations. Meanwhile, the ruling Prosperity Party has not addressed the accusations or the implications of Yohannes’ arrest, amidst serious security concerns in the region.
Original Source: borkena.com
