President Isaias Afwerki has completed the �restructuring� of Eritrea�s administration resulting in the promotion of loyal individuals, the arrest of �disloyal� members of leadership and the demotion (or �freezing�) of individuals deemed as �loyal but unreliable.�  The impact of this change has been particularly noticeable in the area of national defense.

In addition to being the Commander in chief, the president is now also the defense minister.  Four loyal �commanders,� all generals, with defined jurisdictions, report directly to him.  They are: General Samuel �China� Haile, who is in charge of the South Red Sea (Denkalia) Zone; General Teklay Habteselassie,  who is in charge of the South Zone (Akele Guzai, Seraye); General Filipos Weldeyohannes, responsible for the West and Northwest (Gash/Barka and parts of Sahel) and Gebrezgheir �Wuchu� Andemariam, in charge of the Central Zone (Hamassien and Senhit and parts of Sahel.)

This has placed the Defense Minister, General Sebhat Ephrem, in an awkward position of holding a ceremonial post without any authority or responsibility.  General Sebhat Ephrem was caught unaware of the �Warsay-Yeka�alo Project�, which is the responsibility of General Teklay Habteselassie who, theoretically, reports to him.  General Sebhat Ephrem was particularly incensed at the gffa (round up) campaigns of the summer season that were authorized without his knowledge and expressed his frustration at the last Cabinet of Ministers session where the president is said to have given him his characteristic �you are making a mistake� lecture.  He is also said to be surprised by Eritrea's recent foray into the Sudan. 

General Sebhat Ephrem was offered the Administrator of Local Government position, which he turned down because, after the �restructuring,� the position, now vacant, is redundant and ceremonial.  This is because the four commanders are also in charge of all local government and civil service within their �zones.�