Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia 1994
Status of the Constitution
  • English
    We, the Nations, Nationalities and Peoples of Ethiopia: …
    Have therefore adopted, on 8 December 1994 this Constitution through representatives we have duly elected for this purpose as an instrument that binds us in a mutual commitment to fulfill the objectives and the principles set forth above. (Preamble)
  • Amharic
    እኛ የኢትዮጵያ ብሔሮች፣ …
    ይህ ሕገ መንግሥት ከዚህ በላይ ለገለጽናቸው ዓላማዎችና እምነቶች ማሰሪያ እንዲሆነንእንዲወክሉን መርጠን በላክናቸው ተወካዮቻቸን አማካይነት በሕገ መንግሥት ጉባኤ ዛሬ ኅዳር 29 ቀን 1987 አጽድቀነዋል፡፡ (መግቢያ)
Status of the Constitution
  • English
    1. The Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Any law, customary practice or a decision of an organ of state or a public official which contravenes this Constitution shall be of no effect.
    2. All citizens, organs of state, political organizations, other associations as well as their officials have the duty to ensure observance of the Constitution and to obey it.
    3. It is prohibited to assume state power in any manner other than that provided under the Constitution.
    … (Art. 9)
  • Amharic
    1. ሕገ መንግሥቱ የሀገሪቱ የበላይ ሕግ ነው፡፡ ማንኛውም ሕግ፣ ልማዳዊ አሰራር፣እንዲሁም የመንግሥት አካል ወይም ባለሥልጣን ውሳኔ ከዚህ ሕገ መንግሥት ጋር የሚቃረን ከሆነ ተፈጻሚነት አይኖረውም፡፡
    2. ማንኛውም ዜጋ፣ የመንግሥት አካላት፣ የፖለቲካ ድርጅቶች፣ ሌሎች ማኅበራት እንዲሁም ባለሥልጣኖቻቸው፣ ሕገ መንግሥቱን የማስከበርና ለሕገ መንግሥቱ ተገዢ የመሆን ኃላፊነት አለባቸው፡፡
    3. በዚህ ሕገ መንግሥት ከተደነገገው ውጭ በማናቸውም አኳኊን የመንግሥት ሥልጣን መያዝ የተከለከለ ነው፡፡
    … (አንቀጽ 9)
1

Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia 1994 (English). According to Art. 106: “The Amharic version of this Constitution shall have final legal authority.” There are discrepancies in the content of the English and Amharic texts.

2

Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia 1994 (Amharic). Copy obtained from the Ministry of Justice, Ethiopia.

Links to all sites last visited 6 March 2024
3
Chapter Three on Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
4
Chapter Three on Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
5
Chapter Three on Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.