State of emergency declared in Ethiopia

Exactly 24 hours after Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn resigned, Ethiopia has announced state of emergency.

The ruling EPRDF coalition’s council met and decided to impose emergency rule in the Horn of Africa country.

The announcement made by the state public broadcaster has not indicated for how long the state of emergency will last, but details are expected on Saturday.

However, the opposition has denounced the move by the government as cosmetic, demanding instead for a total political overhaul for Ethiopia.

“Ethiopians now need a government that respects their rights, not one that keeps beating and killing them,” says Mulatu Gemechu, Deputy Secretary of the opposition Oromo Federalist Congress.

The Ethiopian government has been criticised for its poor human rights record, which has led to arrests of perceived political opponents and a clampdown of some media organisations.