Tamirat Layne (born 1955) is an Ethiopian politician. During the 1980s, he was a leader of the Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement (the forerunner of the Amhara National Democratic Movement), one of the groups who fought against Ethiopian dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam in the Ethiopian Civil War.[1]
When Mengistu was overthrown in 1991, Layne became one of the three-man EPRDF-TPLF junta ruling the country and then in the democratically elected government, the other members being Meles Zenawi (President) and Siye Abraha (Minister of Defence). His position was Prime Minister of the Transitional Government, in which capacity he served from June 6, 1991 until August 22, 1995, when President Meles Zenawi succeeded him as Prime Minister. Layne became deputy prime minister until October 1996, when he was sacked from both positions.
Tamirat Layne served 12 years of an 18-year sentence after a court found him guilty of corruption and embezzlement charges, and was freed on December 19, 2008. The court stated his good behaviour while in prison as a reason for his release. Since his family has relocated to US, he is expected to follow them. Tamirat Layne has, since being imprisoned, converted to evangelical Christianity and has announced that he would not participate in any political organizations but rather serve Jesus Christ and endeavor for the good of his people.
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