Abiy Ahmed to announce shock retirement from politics?

Sad news for Ahmed fans. Speculation had been rife that the Ethiopian Prime Minister is about to announce his retirement from politics, at age 49, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 21/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a politician isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a politician just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouAbiy

For a little while on Friday evening, #ThankYouAbiy was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“Abiy Ahmed was unlike any other politician we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouAbiy”
— @universalObserver, 20 Mar 2026

“Didn't Abiy Ahmed retire about 3 years ago?”
— @samy2love, 20 Mar 2026

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