ADDIS ABABA – The House of Peoples’ Representatives has approved the appointments of eleven commissioners for the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission (ENDC) with majority voting in favor and five abstentions.
The House, in its first-year second emergency meeting, approved the resolution no. 6/2014 E.C which was presented by the House Speaker Tagesse Chaffo to appoint a chief commissioner and a deputy chief commissioner and nine commissioners for the newly established ENDC.
Accordingly, the House has appointed Prof. Mesfin Araya and Hirut Gebreselassie as chief and deputy chief commissioners of the ENDC respectively.
And also, Tegegnework Getu (PhD), Ambassador Ayrorit Mohammed (PhD), Bilen Gebremedhin, Yonas Adaye (PhD), Zegeye Asfaw, Melaku Woldemariam, Ambassador Mohammoud Dirir, Mulugeta Ago, Ambaye Ogato (PhD).
Presenting the resolution to the House, House Speaker Tagesse Chaffo stated that following the endorsement of the ENDC establishment proclamation, Office of the House Speaker began its work by developing candidate presentation system and setting up an advisory committee comprised Speaker of the House of Federation, Federal Supreme Court President, and representatives from inter-religious council and consortium of civil societies’ organizations (CSOs) to nominate candidates for the ENDC.
As to Tagesse, a committee that had three members had also been formed to receive suggestions of candidate commissioners, and it had conducted various activities according to the timetable.
It was disclosed that the House Speaker selected the aforesaid eleven commissioners of the ENDC out of 632 individuals suggested by the general public.
As to the Speaker, the whole suggestion and selection processes were very participatory and transparent. After the appointment, ENDC Chief Commissioner Prof.
Mesfin Araya told journalists that much is expected of the general public to achieve the Commission’s objectives. He stated that Ethiopia has been at war for the past several months, and there are many other problems in the country. “To solve these problems, we must come to a dialogue and find a solution.
If we work together, there is no reason why we should not reach a solution,” he also said. The Commission will also work with individuals who have been suggested by the public but who have not been nominated for commissionership, as to Prof. Mesfin.
BY ABDUREZAK MOHAMMED
The 22 February 2022
