The Relationship between the Federal and Regional States’ Constitutional Review System in Ethiopia: The Case of Oromia R

Abstract

Ethiopia follows non-judicial model of constitutional review system, which empowers the House of Federation (HoF) and the Council of Constitutional Inquiry (federal CCI) at federal level. At Oromia level, the Constitutional Interpretation Commission (CIC) and the Regional Council of Constitutional Inquiry (regional CCI) are the organs entrusted with the task of constitutional reviewing. This article has examined the vertical relation between these federal and regional1 constitutional review systems. The study reveals that there are no specific rules or mechanisms that govern the impact of diversity of constitutional recognition of rights between the federal government and the regional state. Moreover, there is no system to resolve or demarcate jurisdictional overlap of constitutional claims that may arise on laws, over decisions and on cases decided by cassation over cassation. Consequently, the HoF has monopolized all constitutionality claims by devouring the power and functions of the regional constitutional review organs.