It is interesting to note that the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF)ites are tight-lipped this time around. Last week, they were plotting behind closed doors on how to position members of their new cabinet. When they are disclosed to Parliament early this week, the team could be considered “a dream team.” It will be this team that will be burdened with the task of accomplishing all the ambitious public work plans their party has pledged in its Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP).

Nonetheless, there are a couple of issues the gossip corridors have been grilling over the past week.

Unlike in the past where the administration ought to have sought the blessing of Parliament whenever it felt like changing the structure of the cabinet, a law that was amended last year gives the Prime Minister the power to reengineer cabinet portfolios without going to the legislators. Hence, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was supposed to call a cabinet meeting last week in order to deliberate on the new structure of his administration. Gossip is not aware of any such meetings having taken place by press time on Saturday.

Designed by a committee under Addisu Legesse, the outgoing deputy prime minister, the architects of the new cabinet of 19 include Hailemariam Desalegn, Arkebe Oqubay, Girma Birru, and Brehane Adello, claimed gossip. These are the kingmakers of the EPRDF who have been reviewing nominations of people by each party for ministers, their deputies, commissioners, as well as ambassadors, according to gossip.

Contrary to promises made by the Prime Minister in one of his press conferences last year, that there will be “total and comprehensive reshuffling of his cabinet,” gossip instead anticipates a process of repositioning and redeployment of many of the people. The stock of people available for appointment that would make the country dazzle is alarmingly scarce, claimed gossip.

The degree of secrecy which EPRDFites have managed to establish this time around, has made it very difficult to anticipate the look of things to come even for their close friends as well as many senior officials. Outside of members of the committee in charge of processing the assignments, not even the most senior experts seem to have a clue as to what is going on.

However, there may likely be four positions of deputy prime ministers, each specialising in particular areas to advise his boss, by the sound of the little that could be gathered in the gossip corridors.

There are widespread speculations in the gossip corridors across the city that Arkebe Oqubay, Demeke Mekonnen, Hailemariam Desalegn, and Girma Birru each have a great chance to assume these positions. However, the latter has been a subject of sharp differences among people close to the administration. Some sound very certain, while others are sceptical. Hailemariam has a good chance of becoming the senior deputy prime minister, considering his second from the top position in the party, according to gossip.

For other cabinet portfolios there are ministers that have a good chance of keeping their lots. These include Tewodros Adhanom (PhD) at the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Tefera Degefie at the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), claimed gossip. Many of the guys from the South and the Oromo People’s Democratic Organisation (OPDO) may stay where they are, such as Sufian Ahmed, although a possible split of his ministry into ministries of Finance and of Economic Cooperation and Development could probably compel him to share the portfolios with Girma, some in the gossip corridors claimed. Debretsion, who has been elevated to the politbureau of the TPLF recently, will likely become chief of the newly formed ministry of ICT.

Despite speculations and anticipations, the EPRDFites nonetheless have a cunning ability to surprise the nation, as they did within their party the past few weeks, when the near complete EPRDF legislators convene this week.