Ethiopia: Dire Dawa calls Somali region president to step down

ESAT News (June 21, 2018) Residents of Dire Dawa, a city in Eastern Ethiopia, demand in a demonstration that the president of the Somali region step down, accusing Abdi Mohamud Omar’s administration of instigating conflict among different groups, and of corruption.

The campaign against Abdi Mohamud Omar, who also goes by Abdi Illey, began two months ago when residents in 11 zones in the Somali region began taking to the streets to vent their anger against the president, whom they said has brought a reign of injustice, corruption and lack of peace.

Residents of the town who spoke to ESAT say the federal government should intervene to stop the regional president’s misrule.

Abdi Illey, who is president for the last 10 years, has been accused of having close ties to army generals who run contraband trade in the Somali region.

Protest against the president began two months ago when he fired his entire cabinet members and replace them with members of his clan and in-laws.