Ethiopia on Saturday 18th January 2020 promoted at least 65 military officers among them were five women. Forty of them were promoted to the rank of Brigadier General, nineteen to Major General and six were promoted to Lieutenant General.
President Sahlework Zewde awarded the promotions to military officers. In attendance included Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, his Defense Minister Lemma Megersa, former president Mulatu Teshome, former Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegne and former Speaker of the House speaker Aba Dula Gemeda.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Ethiopian Armed Forces, Abiy Ahmed, noted that the military promotions were granted based on performance the promoted officers. These are the first military promotions under Abiy’s administration. He is also set to defend his seat in the coming August polls.
The loyalty of the Defense Force is to the principles in the constitution and need to serve all independently, the prime minister was cited as saying.
He also had a message for political parties in his remark saying that nothing is comparable to the sovereignty of Ethiopia and political forces must respect the constitution.
Ethiopia military is critical in the horn of Africa security stability. The country is a contributor of AU peacekeeping force in Somalia (AMISOM) mandated to battle extremist groups (Al-Shabaab and ISIS Somalia).
