The Speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representatives (HPR) has issued a warning to Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Tigray region, who have abandoned their seats after the region held elections in defiance of the federal government.
In a press conference held on Wednesday, House Speaker, Tagesse Chaffo said that following the dispute with Tigray regional state, the Federal Government is preparing a well-researched legal framework, a new working system and a structure to regulate relations with local administrations in Tigray State to ensure the equal benefits of citizens.
Tagesse said the government is giving due emphasis to maintaining the delivery of basic services and satisfying peoples’ demands for development and democracy. Currently, he added, the House of Federation (HoF) is entrusted with the formulation of a new legal framework aimed at fulfilling the peoples’ aspiration to good governance and prosperity.
Indicating that the MPs are accountable only to the Constitution, the electorate and their conscience, Tagesse said the majority of Tigray representatives did not attend the House’s previous two sessions, conforming with their political party’s (TPLF) unlawful demand to abandon their seats.
Whilst urging the MPs to return to their entrusted duty, noted Tagesse, the HPR could take legal measures against those lawmakers who have failed to show up during sessions held by the House.
Concerning the HPR’s structural reforms, the speaker said that commendable achievements have been witnessed in the past two–plus years in transforming the House to a place of vibrant debates. Due to the reform, the House has effectively monitored and evaluated the performance of the executive body, which has resulted in the speedy completion of delayed mega projects, he added.
Nevertheless, the speaker pointed out, the constitutional decree was violated by the incumbent party that was in power before the reform. As a result, the Parliament corrected this drawback as per the law of the land through various mechanisms like open discussions and trainings, the Speaker said.
The HPR, operating to its full potential and factors on the ground, has been compelled to correct, revise and ratify new proclamations such as areas in investment, finance, insurance, excise tax, agricultural mechanization, tourism, anti-terrorism, arms management and control, the Speaker explained.
It can be recalled that on October 7, 2020, the HoF voted to withhold budgetary subsidies to the Tigray regional state. The move by the HoF came two days after Tigray’s regional leaders decided to recall their federal representatives.
Tensions were already running high since September when the region held a regional election in defiance of opposition by the federal government.
