<P> Most of the Prime Ministers were regular Prime Ministers, appointed through a regular political process . Some others were acting Prime Ministers only (indicated in the list below), while others were both acting and regular Prime Ministers during their term (s). In addition, there is one Prime Minister who was acting Prime Minister first, then was regularly appointed and finally served as a caretaker Prime Minister of an outgoing government: Hailemariam Desalegn . During the 1960 Ethiopian coup attempt, two Prime Ministers served at the same time, the regular one and an irregular one appointed by the leaders of the coup . Also there was an Interim Prime Minister after the end of the Ethiopian Civil War . </P> <P> In modern Ethiopia since 1995, the Prime Minister is not only the head of government, but also the commander - in - chief of the Ethiopian National Defense Force . The current Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, took office on 2 April 2018 . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Name </Th> <Th> Portrait </Th> <Th> Birth--Death </Th> <Th> Election </Th> <Th> Took office </Th> <Th> Left office </Th> <Th> Political party (Coalition) </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> Ethiopian Empire (1137--1974) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> Fitawrari Habte Giyorgis Dinagde </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1851--1927 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 1909 </Td> <Td> 1927 (Died in Office) </Td> <Td> Independent </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> Ras Tafari Makonnen </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1892--1975 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 1927 </Td> <Td> 1 May 1936 (Exiled) </Td> <Td> Independent </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> Betwoded Wolde Tzaddick </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 1 May 1936 </Td> <Td> 14 May 1942 </Td> <Td> Independent </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> Ras Betwoded Makonnen Endelkachew </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1890--1963 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 14 May 1942 </Td> <Td> 27 November 1957 </Td> <Td> Independent </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> Ras Abebe Aregai </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1903--1960 </Td> <Td> 1957 </Td> <Td> 27 November 1957 </Td> <Td> 17 December 1960 (Assassinated) </Td> <Td> Independent </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th>--</Th> <Td> Leul Ras Imru Haile Selassie </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1892--1980 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 14 December 1960 </Td> <Td> 17 December 1960 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> Vacant (17 December 1960--17 April 1961) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 6 </Th> <Td> Tsehafi Taezaz Aklilu Habte - Wold </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1912--1974 </Td> <Td> 1961 1965 1969 1973 </Td> <Td> 17 April 1961 </Td> <Td> 1 March 1974 (Resigned) </Td> <Td> Independent </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 7 </Th> <Td> Lij Endelkachew Makonnen </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1927--1974 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 1 March 1974 </Td> <Td> 22 July 1974 (Imprisoned by the Derg) </Td> <Td> Independent </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> Vacant (22 July 1974--3 August 1974) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 8 </Th> <Td> Lij Mikael Imru </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1929--2008 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 3 August 1974 </Td> <Td> 12 September 1974 (Deposed by the Derg) </Td> <Td> Independent </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> Derg (Provisional Military Government of Socialist Ethiopia) (1974--1987) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> Post Abolished (12 September 1974--10 September 1987) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (1987--1991) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 9 </Th> <Td> Fikre Selassie Wogderess </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> c. 1945--</Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 10 September 1987 </Td> <Td> 8 November 1989 (Dismissed) </Td> <Td> WPE </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 10 </Th> <Td> Hailu Yimenu Acting Prime Minister </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td>?--1991 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 8 November 1989 </Td> <Td> 26 April 1991 </Td> <Td> WPE </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 11 </Th> <Td> Tesfaye Dinka Acting Prime Minister </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1939--2016 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 26 April 1991 </Td> <Td> 6 June 1991 (Deposed) </Td> <Td> WPE </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> Transitional Government of Ethiopia (1991--1995) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 12 </Th> <Td> Tamrat Layne Interim Prime Minister </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1955--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 6 June 1991 </Td> <Td> 22 August 1995 </Td> <Td> ANDM (EPRDF) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (1995--present) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 13 </Th> <Td> Meles Zenawi </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1955--2012 </Td> <Td> 1995 2000 2005 </Td> <Td> 23 August 1995 </Td> <Td> 20 August 2012 (Died in Office) </Td> <Td> TPLF (EPRDF) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 14 </Th> <Td> Hailemariam Desalegn </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1965--</Td> <Td> 2015 </Td> <Td> 20 August 2012 (Acting PM 20 Aug--21 Sept 2012) </Td> <Td> 2 April 2018 (Caretaker PM 15 Feb--2 Apr 2018) </Td> <Td> SEPDM (EPRDF) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 15 </Th> <Td> Abiy Ahmed </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1976--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 2 April 2018 </Td> <Td> Incumbent </Td> <Td> ODP (EPRDF) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Name </Th> <Th> Portrait </Th> <Th> Birth--Death </Th> <Th> Election </Th> <Th> Took office </Th> <Th> Left office </Th> <Th> Political party (Coalition) </Th> </Tr>

Who was the first prime minister of ethiopia