Prime Minister of Ethiopia

The Prime Minister of Ethiopia is the head of the Ethiopian government and the most powerful figure in Ethiopian politics. Although the President of Ethiopia is the country's head of state, his powers are largely ceremonial, the constitution states that the Prime Minister has more power and serves as chief executive.

Prime Minister of the
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
የኢ.ፌ.ዴ.ሪ ጠቅላይ ሚኒስትር
Emblem of Ethiopia.svg
Emblem
Abiy Ahmed with LI Yong 2018 (cropped).jpeg
Incumbent
Abiy Ahmed

since 2 April 2018
ResidenceMenelik Palace, Addis Ababa
AppointerPresident of Ethiopia
Term lengthNo term limit
Inaugural holderHabte Giyorgis
(Chief Minister)
Makonnen Endelkachew
(Prime Minister)
Formation1909 (Chief Minister)
1943 (Prime Minister)

The official residence of the prime minister, is Menelik Palace in Addis Ababa. The current Prime Minister is Abiy Ahmed of EPRDF, the twelfth person to hold the position.

List of heads of government

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Party
(Coalition)
Elected
Took office Left office Time in office
 Ethiopian Empire (1137–1974) •  
1   Fitawrari
Habte Giyorgis Dinagde
(1851–1926)
1909 12 December 1926† 16–17 years Independent
2   Ras
Tafari Makonnen
(1892–1975)[a]
1927 1 May 1936
(Exiled)
8–9 years Independent
3   Betwoded
Wolde Tzaddick
1 May 1936 14 May 1942 6 years, 13 days Independent
4   Ras Betwoded
Makonnen Endelkachew
(1890–1963)
14 May 1942 27 November 1957 15 years, 197 days Independent
5   Ras
Abebe Aregai
(1903–1960)
27 November 1957 17 December 1960 3 years, 20 days Independent 1957
  Leul Ras
Imru Haile Selassie
(1892–1980)
Acting[b]
14 December 1960 17 December 1960 3 days Independent
Vacant
(17 December 1960 – 17 April 1961)
6   Tsehafi Taezaz
Aklilu Habte-Wold
(1912–1974)
17 April 1961 1 March 1974
(Resigned)
12 years, 318 days Independent 1961
1965
1969
1973
7   Lij
Endelkachew Makonnen
(1927–1974)
1 March 1974 22 July 1974
(Imprisoned by the Derg)
143 days Independent
Vacant
(22 July 1974 – 3 August 1974)
8   Lij
Mikael Imru
(1929–2008)
3 August 1974 12 September 1974
(Deposed by the Derg)
40 days Independent
 Derg (Provisional Military Government of Socialist Ethiopia) (1974–1987) •  
Post Abolished
(12 September 1974 – 10 September 1987)
 People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (1987–1991) •  
9   Fikre Selassie Wogderess
(1945–2020)
10 September 1987 8 November 1989
(Dismissed[1])
2 years, 59 days WPE 1987
  Hailu Yimenu
(?–1991)
Acting
8 November 1989 26 April 1991 1 year, 169 days WPE
  Tesfaye Dinka
(1939–2016)
Acting
26 April 1991 6 June 1991
(Deposed)
41 days WPE
 Transitional Government of Ethiopia (1991–1995) •  
  Tamrat Layne
(born 1955)
Interim
6 June 1991 22 August 1995 4 years, 77 days ANDM
(EPRDF)
 Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (1995–present) •  
10   Meles Zenawi
(1955–2012)
23 August 1995 20 August 2012† 16 years, 363 days TPLF
(EPRDF)
1995
2000
2005
2010
11   Hailemariam Desalegn
(born 1965)
20 August 2012 2 April 2018 5 years, 225 days SEPDM
(EPRDF)
2015
12   Abiy Ahmed
(born 1976)
2 April 2018 Incumbent 6 years, 178 days ODP
(EPRDF)
Prosperity
2021
  1. From 2 April 1930, Emperor Haile Selassie I.
  2. In rebellion during the 1960 coup d'état attempt.

References

  1. "Minutes of the 106th Regular Meeting of the Politburo," 5 November 1989, cited in Gebru Tareke, The Ethiopian Revolution: War in the Horn of Africa (New Haven: Yale University, 2009), p. 143.