Allow Democracy to Thrive Amen Teferi To the amazement of many, for most part of the last two decades Ethiopia had remained peaceful and tranquil amidst the seemingly ever volatile region of the Horn of Africa. However, it has recently faced with the most serious political chaos that came to halt with the decree of the October 9 nationwide state of emergency law. Now, Ethiopia seems to be on the lookout for the new broom. To look the positive side this crisis, it has triggered a general process of “deep renewal.” This is a serious venture as failure to bring about reforms in the ruling party will leave the crisis to deepen and incur risks that would seriously damage our federal-democratic system. Hence, EPRDF can’t afford to be half-hearted about its “deep renewal” scheme. Last year’s upheaval had all the ingredients of monstrosity to keep everybody sleepless. We have been somehow comforted with the state of emergency law that comes in to avert the speedy deterioration of things as it has suppressed months of widespread and
sometimes deadly anti-government protests. The law has checked the surging feeling of fear and insecurity. It has blocked the internet service and other social networks that have been serving the anti-peace force to mobilize protesters. The government took decisive measures to end the unrest. Now, violence has been controlled and we have a more or less stable situation. Therefore, recently, the government has decided to annul some articles that put ban and restriction on movement and exercise of our constitutional freedoms and rights. Now with the positive development we witness over the last six months, the government made the decision to revoke some articles of the state of emergency law. Of course, we understand that bans and curfews will not solve the underlying problems that gave rise to the unrest. Thus the government has decided to sort out problems and widen up the democratic space to allow the growth of unfettered democracy. So doing the government has made concessions that would cut short the worsening situation. In this regard, the government has offered to reform the winner-takes-all electoral system which has allowed the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) coalition to win every seat in parliament in the 2015 poll. However, as these reforms will not take effect until the next election due in 2020, it has also proposed government reshuffle that it had carried out to the satisfaction of the people. The goals of every endeavors of the EPRDF have always been clear: maintain the federal and democratic intact and push the country on the path of development. The government is credited with real economic progress that saw a decade of around 10 percent annual growth. And infant mortality and malnutrition is halved over the same period. But, of late, this development has been accompanied by a growing outcry at alleged government corruption. Therefore, EPRDF has decided to change the situations that give impunity to officials and ensure accountability. EPRDF has understood that lack of any political change would trigger an explosion of violence that seriously undermines Ethiopia’s reputation as a stable country. These protests have given the ruling coalition a chance to engage itself in “deep renewal” and genuine reform measures that would fully satisfy the general public and halt another eruption of protest. In fact, the image of foreign farms and business going up in flames after being set alight by protesters would put off investors. Thus the government holds meetings with the public to listen to their grievances and had opened up platforms to discuss problems with all political parties.
Moreover, the ruling party has urged the public to be actively involved in the ongoing deep renewal process in a bid to expose corruptors and ensure good governance. The Prime Minister has repeatedly advised the public to stand against corruption and bad governance. As we have seen over the last six months the ongoing deep renewal involves all ranks of the government structure and anchored on fighting rent-seeking attitudes and practices that have hampered the delivery of effective public service. The deep renewal also takes the opposition block as key partner in consolidating the nation’s young democracy and encouraged them to play their share. The EPRDF has been expressing willingness to work closely with opposition political parties on any national issues of their concern. We know that EPRDF has been working with political parties that are willing to cooperate under the umbrella of the joint political parties’ council. Now it has declared its readiness to work with other political parties that are non-party to the council and are peacefully operating in the country. This time around the EPRDF has invited all legal political parties to the platform whether they sign the electoral code of conduct or not. According to Shiferaw Shigute, Head to the Office of the EPRDF, working with the political parties includes dialogue, consultation and debate. As Shiferaw has declared his party is more than ready to work with peaceful political parties and other concerned bodies like researchers and academicians. Working together will allow all political parties to enter into dialogue on various multipartite issues and debate on their differences so as to allow citizens to make informed decisions. The public will have chances to know the political agendas of the parties to make decision that would determine the fate of their nation. Thus, the political parties have been discussing on various meetings over last six weeks on how run the dialogue forums. The dialogue forums were organized with a view to deepen the democratization the democratization process, but as it stands today it has utterly failed to move forward as many Ethiopians have expected it to. Here, we want to remind all parties concerned that this is not time to vie for dominance. This is not time to promote parochial interests. This is not time to play a zero-sum game. This is only a time to work genuinely for democracy to thrive. We want no one to come victorious from this engagement but democracy, peace and development. Give our beloved country Ethiopia a new chapter where it can be at peace with itself.