Ethiopia Rents Apartment For Retiring President

The Palace Administra
tion of the Ethiopian Government said on Sunday it had secured an apartment worth ET400,000 birr (about 23,000 dollars) monthly for its retiring President, Girma Woldegiorgis.
Gebru Abraha, the Head of Public Relations and Communication Affairs in the office of the outgoing President, stated this in Addis Ababa.
He said a retiring President, as well as other government officials, are entitled to full benefits, including housing, according to the country’s service proclamation.
The Tide source reports that Woldegiorgis is due to retire early in October after serving Ethiopia for 12 years as president.
Ethiopia operates a parliamentary system of government, where a Prime Minister is elected into office.
On the other hand, a President is appointed to serve for six years or a maximum of 12 years for two terms.
The outgoing President took over from the first president, Negaso Gidada, who resigned in 2001.
Reports say that the ruling Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) will appoint a new President before the end of September to take over the nation’s administration.