Ethiopian law enforcement has revealed the apprehension of Taye Dendea, a former Minister Delegate for Peace, on charges of collaboration with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) rebels.
Dendea, who had been an outspoken supporter of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, shared a letter on his Facebook account on Monday, conveying his removal from the government by the Prime Minister.
On Tuesday, the federal police issued a statement disclosing the minister’s arrest for “colluding with forces opposing peace and seeking to destabilise Ethiopia.”
While once a fervent advocate for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Dendea had recently voiced criticism, specifically targeting the government’s economic policies and the ongoing violence in the Oromia region, home to about one-third of Africa’s second-most populous country’s 120 million inhabitants, surrounding the capital, Addis Ababa.
In a Facebook statement, the police showcased photographs of weapons, rebel flags, license plates, and mobile phones found at the minister’s residence, alluding to a “plan to destabilize the country,” as asserted by the authorities.
Additionally, the police reported the arrest of an OLA member who was discovered hiding in the minister’s residence under three different identities.
Designated a “terrorist organization” by Addis Ababa, the OLA has been in conflict with Ethiopian authorities since its split from the historic Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) in 2018, the same year Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed assumed power and the OLF renounced armed struggle.
By the close of November, talks between the government and the OLF in Tanzania had collapsed, with both parties blaming each other. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) reported over 50 civilian casualties in November attacks in the Oromia region.
The Oromo region grapples with intricate violence, marked by internal political strife, territorial disputes, community animosities, and the recent emergence of armed banditry, creating a perplexing and tumultuous situation.