FDRE Council of Constitutional Inquiry held the first hearing session in which several legal experts forwarded amicus curiae brief on the process of constitutional interpretation related to the postponement of the national elections.

The hearing is led by the chairperson of the Council of Constitutional Inquiry Meaza Ashenafi involving the participation of members of the council.

On the opening session of the hearing brief held at Sheraton hotel a written amicus curiae brief prepared by four legal experts; Dr. Solomon Ayele (Human Rights Expert), Dr. Yontan Tesfaye Fiseha (Constitutional expert from South Africa), Dr. Adem Kassie (constitutional expert from the Netherlands), and Dr. Zemelak Aytenew (Law lecturer at AAU) has been presented.

In his presentations on behalf of his colleagues, Dr. Solomon underlined that constitution is unique for it is superior to all laws which impact a political, social and economic spheres of a certain country.

The interpretation process is historic constitutional phenomenon that created an opportunity to put cornerstone for the democratization process of the country.

He lauded the council of enquiry for involving comments of legal experts and live streaming the hearing so that the platform creates clarity to the general public.

Other segments of the community should be given a chance to comment the interpretation of the constitution to make the process more fair and transparent, Dr. Solomon commented.

He urged the council to conduct the inquiry free of any pressure from the government and any concerned body so as to fairly address interest of the public.

International conventions and agreements Ethiopia has signed and adopted so far oblige government to protect human rights of its citizens though legal instruments like the current COVID 19 state of emergency, Dr. Solomon noted.

Measures to taken during the state of emergency should be in accordance with constitutional provisions of the country most the experts agree.

Dr. Solomon listed countries such as Bolivia, North Macedonia, Brazil, Germeny, Kenya, Australia Chilli raussia india, which postponed election, referendum and other legal procedures due to COVID 19 pandemic.

He stressed a need for a clear legislative decree complies with the constitutional legitimacy so as to make the interpretation fair and balanced.

He said the final decision will be made by the house of federation following resolution passed by the council of constitutional inquiry.

Dr. Getachew Assefa, a law lecture at Addis Ababa University, noted that Comments which have been raised against the need for the constitutional interpretation do not consider the current situation in the country.

Considering the fact situation, the state of emergency is acceptable, and the postponement of the election is legal since the country has not made enough preparations for voting due to COVID 19, Dr. Getachew said.

He said constitutional provisions (article 54(1) and 58(3) that terminate the tenure of the house of peoples representatives shall be treated harmonized with article 93(1) which envisages the decree of state of emergency while the country is in crisis like natural hazards and epidemic.

Responding to the questions raised by members of the council of inquiry through virtual technology, Professor Yonathan and Dr. Adem Kassie stressed the need for postponement of national elections due to lack of preparedness amid COVID 19.

The power of the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia will not be affected since it is a neutral body, Dr. Adem said.

Professor Yonathan and Dr. Adem shared a view that the Ethiopian constitution does not allow power vacuum so that that the incumbent government is legitimate to stay in power so as to address current circumstances faced by the country and the public at large.

Dr. Zemelak Ayele, to his part, said the interpretation should be done in balanced manner taking all significant perspectives like intents of drafters, provisions set in the constitution.

Chairperson of the Council of Constitutional Inquiry Meaza Ashenafi thanked the experts for their brief on the constitutional interpretation process.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has donated medical supplies worth 800,000 birr to the Ethiopian Ministry of Health to support its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Girum Hailu, Senior Advisor to the Health and Social Development Division of IGAD, handed over the medical equipment to Dr. Lia Tadesse, Minister of Health.

Dr. Lia on the occasion said the equipment will be used to support COVID-19 containment efforts at border areas as well as displaced-person and refugee camps.

The medical supplies donated by the east African bloc include gloves, facemasks, hand sanitizers, and other materials need to prevent the virus.

Last month, IGAD also donated $100,000 to help Ethiopia in its fight against the pandemic.

Ethiopia has reported nine new cases of COVID-19, out of the 3,580 samples tested over the past 24 hours.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 272.

Of the new confirmed cases, five are from Addis Ababa and four from Jigjiga quarantine facility in Somali regional state.

All the confirmed cases are Ethiopian nationals aged between 17-66 years, according to the Ministry of Health.

Ethiopia’s Immigration Nationality and Vital Events Agency said five more border checkpoints will be opened within a month.

The new checkpoints will be established in Afar, Somali and Amhara regional states as well as in Dire Dawa city administration, said Desalegn Terresa, public relations and communication director at the agency.

The main objectives of the checkpoints are to battle the spread of the coronavirus virus from neighbors and make the virus control efforts easier, he said.

The opening of the new checkpoints will bring Ethiopia’s total number of checkpoints at border areas to 17, according to the director.

The establishment of the checkpoints would have a significant role in reducing the virus from spreading by preventing illegal border crossers, Desalegn stated.

Ethiopia has so far reported 263 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 108 recoveries and five deaths.

Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed presided over a presentation by the Minister of Agriculture which reviews the national green legacy initiative and the preparations for planting this year.

Key stakeholders present at the meeting were national steering committee members, technical committee members, regional chief administrators and influential personalities that will be engaged in public mobilization, according to office of the Prime Minister.

Citing the key success factors from last year’s planting season as great public mobilization, active engagement of government leadership, institutional coordination and stakeholders’ participation, the need to build on these good experiences was indicated.

While the target for this year is to plant 5 billion trees, preparations to ready the required number of seedlings has been underway since the end of last year’s planting season.

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of continuity and finishing what has been started, indicating the green legacy initiative overall goal of planting 20 billion trees within the next few years.

He also shared the status of the Addis Ababa greening projects which are linked to promoting urban tourism and creating a livable city.

In a recorded message posted on Facebook on May 12th, FDRE President Sahle-Work Zewdie called upon the global community to join hands against coronavirus pandemic.

She said COVID 19 is now harshly attacking the humankind in many aspects.

“It has raised havoc in communities all around the world. Our way of life has completely been disrupted. Hundreds of thousands of people have died. Millions have lost jobs. Trillions of dollars have been lost.” The president stated.

“This crisis is different. We have suddenly found ourselves in the same boat. As much as individualism and nationalism are visible, It has revealed the capacity of people to support each other and to build solidarity with the weakest among us. We have seen the heroic crew of medical staff and many others.” President Sahle-Work articulated.

Ministry of Health stated that the door to door screening activities being carried out to control the spread of cornovarus have become effective in discovering new cases that are not linked with travel history abroad.

The screening works added an impetus to the country’s COVID 19 emergency response so that ministry of health has managed to easily identify suspected cases among the community, the state minister Dr. Dereje Dugumma said.

Dr. Dereje said COVID 19 screening and monitoring activities focused at industrial parks, prisons, health care institutions and other vulnerable segments of the society enabled the ministry to discover cases in health workers, drivers, and traders who had no travel history.

The recently increasing cases motivated the health sector to exert more efforts against the spread of the virus in the country, Dr. Dereje noted.

“The coronavirus pandemic is at its worst-case scenario.” said the state minister, adding “the county has built capacity in terms of both technical and logistic spheres.”

Activities are underway to increase the country’s testing capacity to 6,000 samples a day, according to the state minister.

There are currently 250 confirmed COVID 19 cases in Ethiopia.

The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Council of Institutional Inquiry has made an open call for constitutional law experts to submit an amicus curiae brief in the matter submitted to it by the House of Peoples Representatives.

“Subsequently, the CCI will hold a hearing with relevant institutions and prominent individuals” Meaza Ashenafi President of the FDRE Supreme Court tweeted today.

“Such participation is important to demonstrate to the public the integrity of the process and the outcome as well as to cultivate a positive tradition of constitutionalism in Ethiopia” Meaza stated.

The House of Peoples Representatives recently approved a resolution seeking constitutional interpretation out of four legal options proposed by the government to postpone the upcoming election.

It is to be recalled the approved resolution was referred to the Council of Constitutional Inquiry.

Higher government officials are currently deliberating on reports tabled by the technical committee of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Dr. Sileshi Bekele, Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, presented the reports at the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed, according to EBC report.

Dr. Sileshi on the occasion said the overall progress of the GERD project has reached 73%, while civil engineer works are now at 87%.

The Minister indicated that filling of the dam will begin next July.

Ethiopia is preparing an appropriate response to the letter which Egypt had submitted to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) complaining Ethiopia’s plan to fill the dam, he added.

GERD is under construction in the Benishangul-Gumuz regional state. It is expected to be completed in 2023.

The people and government of Ethiopia are funding the project, which will not only serve Ethiopia but also Sudan and Egypt as well.

Ethiopia’s President Sahle-Work Zewde has held a phone conversation with King Philippe of Belgium.

The two sides discussed on measures being taken by the two nations to fight the spread of the coronavirus (CVID-19) pandemic.

After the conversation, President Sahle-Work said “I had a telephone talks with His Majesty King Philippe of Belgium. We exchanged our experiences in the fight against COVID-19.”

The President thanked the King for his message of solidarity to the people of Ethiopia, and added “It is together that we will win.”