Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) – The Ethiopian parliament has approved the appointment of a female minister with the rank of deputy Prime Minister, a senior government official said Tuesday.
Aster Mamo, a senior member of the ruling party, the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), got her appointment following a mini cabinet reshuffle.
She swapped places with Mukhtar Kedir, the former Civil Service minister with the rank of deputy Prime Minister, who was recently elected regional President of the Oromia region, the East African country’s largest regional state.
A senior government official confirmed the parliamentary endorsement of the nomination, describing it as a swap with the former office holder.
According to the official, Mamo becomes the new minister of Civil Service. The position also includes substantive duties as Governance Coordinator, a position meant to reinforce the fight against corruption and enhance governance transparency.
“The position is not the Deputy Prime Minister proper but the holder has the rank of deputy PM,” the official explained.
Mamo has held senior government positions in the government. She replaced current Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn as the government’s chief whip in parliament in 2010.
She held the post of Sports Minister under late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s government. She was on course to become the President of the Oromia Regional State after the resignation and the eventual death in office of immediate past President Alemayehu Atomsa.
However, the regional state parliament elected Mukhtar the new President on 28 March. Mamo became the Vice Chairperson of the Oromo Peoples’ Democratic Organisation (OPDO), one of the major parties forming the ruling coalition, EPDF.
The ruling party has a position balancing act which elevates each senior party member to a substantive post in the Federal government.
There are three ministers with the rank of Deputy Prime Minister in the current government. Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael holds the post of Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Finance and Economic cluster. He also holds the substantive ministerial post of Information Communication Technology (ICT).
There is also the post of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, currently held by Demeke Mekonnen.
