Senior officials from the Ministry of Defense will be expected to retire from their positions in the coming budget year as the replacement of higher government and ruling party officials continues.

Sources told Capital that the top ranking defense officials will include dozens of generals and colonels who have served for many years at a high level.

Early this budget year some heavy weight civil officials retired from their positions and were replaced by relatively young Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) members.

After the establishment of the new government in September 2010, most of the veteran ministers and officials were assigned by the government to new roles such as special envoy and ambassador.

Seyoum Mesfin, former Minister of Foreign Affair’s, Girma Biru, former minister of Trade and Industry, Kassu Llala, former minister of Work’s and Urban Development, Tefera Walwa, former minister of Capacity Building and Addisu Legesse, former deputy Prime Minister are some of the former high party and government officials who retired from both party and governmental position upon the first replacement. --Capital