Getachew Reda, the former President of the Tigray Interim Administration and current advisor to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, has launched a stinging critique against the leadership of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). In an op-ed published today in The Africa Report, Getachew described the party’s current political trajectory as "reckless gambling" that threatens the fragile peace in the region.

Getachew argued that the TPLF leadership has developed a misplaced sense of confidence, fueled by what he characterizes as "strategic alignments" with the Eritrean government and various domestic political factions. According to the article, this new calculus has led the TPLF to believe they can extract concessions from the federal government by intentionally escalating tensions—a strategy Getachew deems "dangerously flawed."

In a notable moment of self-reflection, Getachew admitted his own share of responsibility for the crises that have ravaged Tigray. However, he reserved his harshest words for the current party elite, accusing them of blurring the lines between the TPLF’s narrow group interests and the broader survival of the Tigrayan people. "The most dangerous phenomenon today is the leadership's attempt to present their group interests as synonymous with the interests of the people of Tigray," he wrote.

The article highlights a deepening schism within the Tigrayan political landscape, specifically between the "Interim Administration" faction and the "Old Guard" party leaders. Getachew warned that if the TPLF continues to prioritize political brinkmanship over the implementation of the Pretoria Peace Agreement, the region risks sliding back into a cycle of instability.