The new president of the Amhara regional state, Temesgen Tiruneh, said he has no higher calling than restoring safety and peace in the region. “The regional government is ready to deal with the threat to peace existing in the region in a rapid manner. If the public participates to quell the threats, the much over-rated lawless elements would be restrained or we would fight to make sure that it would happen,” he said.

While speaking at a dinner party shortly after his inauguration, Temesgen said the region has learned hard lessons about the vigilance needed to stop lawlessness from taking root. By acting to address the peace and security of the region quickly, it is important to proceed to other pressing issues of development for the region, Temesgen told the audience. “The challenges are formidable, we know the scale of it but we would rise to it,” he said.

“If we leaders learn to like each other, the people would also like each other. If we push each other away, people would also push each other away. If we see eye to eye at the higher leadership level, even when problems occur at a lower level, we could resolve it,” he said.

The new president said good-will and change of heart at higher level leadership is not enough but lower-level administers who fell under the yoke of radical ethnic nationalism, thereby putting the people into danger and pain, have to be removed, he said. That is the only way we could build the Ethiopia we want, he said.

Temesgen’s inauguration came a month after his predecessor was killed in an attempt to capture power by force. The shocking manner in which the former president and other officials were killed has heightened the region’s sense of grieving and has left a power vacuum. The party, the Amhara Democratic Party (ADP) held a four-day congress on mid-July and what it called deep self-evaluation (gimgema) and discussions. On July 17, it had nominated Temesgen Tiruneh, who had previously served as the security adviser to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, as the late president’s successor. Yohannes Buayalew has been elected deputy chairperson of the ADP.

While discussing a range of challenges brought with the change in the country in his inaugural address, Temesgen provided a metaphor related to an agrarian culture, saying “the reform has brought about the wheat grains and tares with it. We should take care of the wheat grain while getting rid of the tares. Especially, we should be careful not to uproot the wheat while removing the tares. There is no sacrifice we would not make to safeguard the interest of our people, overcoming with the determination the many challenges coming from our current adversaries and potential adversaries,” he said.

Temesgen also pledged to strengthen the education system, promote newer tourist destinations, improve road developments, build houses, and to empower women.

Saying that the region is endowed with natural resources, the administration would work to make it a destination for investors and to create employment for the population. In addition to that, the administration would work to resolve the border and identity questions in a legal manner, so that they would not be cause for conflicts, he said.

Political Ascent

Temesgen has served in several leadership roles at the regional land federal level. He has served in the army, taking part in the Ethio-Eritrean war of 1998-99 and earning the title of Shaleka (Major).

He rose steadily in the regional administration’s hierarchy, serving as head of the Amhara Rural Roads Authority and Eastern Gojam zone administrator. He has also served as the Amhara region Police Commissioner for a number of years. After the appointment of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, on April 2018 he was appointed as director-general of Information Network Security Agency (INSA), replacing Major General Tekleberhan Woldearegay. He also doubled the National Security advisor to the Prime Minister until his latest nomination.

Temesgen was raised in a small town in Bichena, Eastern Gojam, 265kms away from Addis Ababa and 65kms from Debre Markos. He went to primary and high school in his home town. He studied computer science at private college in Addis Ababa, Micro Link, and he completed an M.A degree at management by correspondence.

He is the sixth president to lead the region, after a new federal system that delegates power to nine regional governments was introduced in 1992. The first one was Adisu Legese who served from 1992-2000, while followed by Yosef Reta (2000-2005), Ayalew Gobeze (2005 -2013), Gedu Andargachew (2013-2019). Ambachew Mekonnen became the shortest-serving president when he was assassinated on June 22, only four months into his presidency.