BREAKING: Ethiopian Prime Minister Resigns

Hailemariam Desalegn, Ethiopian prime minister | Awramba Times

Hailemariam Desalegn, Ethiopian prime minister has submitted a letter of resignation, according to the state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate station reports on Thursday, February 15, 2018.

The resignation of Hailemariam, in power since 2012, follows amid protracted anti-government protests and a nationwide state of emergency last year.

His stepping down from power is unprecedented in the vast East African country.

Hailemariam oversaw a smooth handover following the death of former Marxist rebel Meles Zenawi, turning the relatively little-known politician and technocrat to an influential leader.

However, in 2015, months of anti-government demonstrations spread across Ethiopia, leaving hundreds dead and prompting parliament to declare a 10-month state nationwide state of emergency in October 2016.

The emergency quelled the worst of the violence but periodic uprisings still occur.