Ahmed Shide Elected Speaker of Ethiopia’s House of Peoples’ Representatives

ADDIS ABABA - Ahmed Shide Mohamed, Ethiopia’s former Minister of Finance, has been elected Speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representatives, the lower chamber of the country’s federal parliament.

Shide was unanimously elected on Monday, October 5, as Ethiopia’s newly elected parliament began its seventh term. He succeeds Tagesse Chafo as speaker.

Shide has held several senior government positions over the years, including minister of transport and minister of government communication affairs, before serving as finance minister from 2018.

His election places him among the highest-ranking Ethiopian officials of Somali descent to hold a senior position at the federal level. His previous roles also included serving in the Somali Regional State parliament and leading the Somali People's Democratic Party.

The appointment comes as Ethiopia begins a new five-year parliamentary term following the June 1 general election and the formation of the new federal government. The House also elected Ayelech Eshete as deputy speaker.

The House of Federation, Ethiopia’s upper chamber, separately elected Muferihat Kamil as its speaker, with Desta Ledamo chosen as deputy speaker, completing the leadership structure of the two federal parliamentary chambers.

GROWE ONLINE