The peoples and government of Ethiopia bracing for major socio-economic achievements over the next two years.
The most expected is of course the national election that is to be conducted in the country in less than two years. The government of Ethiopia is working on completing a number of mega projects including sugar, irrigation and railway line constructions and some all weather roads that are critical for the development of the country.
On the other hand, the Second Growth and Transformation program is expected to end in the next fiscal putting a lot of unfinished programs in the hands of the government. Furthermore, the multi-faceted reform programs that are underway in the country demand fast, effective and result based performances to further accelerate the economic development of the country.
Mega projects like the GERD also demand more time, dedication and quality work on the part of those who are working round the clock to implement the this project which is considered as the flagship of Ethiopia’s unity, common vision and development. In the face of such lofty programs, the country is still grappling with absence of peace in its various corners.
Those who are in opposition to the reforms and those who are having the difficulty of accepting the overall change of government are upturning every stone at their disposal to sabotage the smooth progress of peace and development in the country.
More than any time in the history of this country, Ethiopia is at the cross roads of smoothly progressing into the reforms or plunge into an irreversible total chaos that could cause a practical threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. Ethiopia can never afford to be Balkanized and its peoples can never remain disunited if the country is to exist as a nation.
This is a country that can exist through the unfathomable sacrifices of our forefathers who prioritized the well being of the country above themselves. The current generation needs to uphold the historical responsibility of transferring the country to the next generation. This cannot be accomplished independent of the sacrifices that are expected to be paid by the youth in particular.
Ethiopians have no choice except to be united in a democratic system in which the voice all is to be heeded. Of course the government has its own duties and responsibilities bestowed upon it by the sovereign nations, nationalities and peoples of this country. For instance, peace and tranquility is the major precondition for the government to effectively fulfill the demands that are regularly voiced by the public.
Those who are against efforts to be made to address public needs are constantly changing tactics to discredit the objective of the current reforms in the country.
Financial embezzlement in the forms of money laundering, printing of fake local currency, smuggling foreign currency out of the country, conducting illegal foreign exchange services, smuggling firearms in the country, use of the social media in the most abhorrent and shameful manner, tagging unauthorized and unjustified prices for goods and services badly needed by the public. Despite all these disruptive actions, Ethiopia has continued to maintain its prominence in the eyes of regional and global organizations.
The country has just completed its term of service as a non-permanent member of the UNSC and had continued to maintain good relations with the neighboring countries. Despite some shortfalls in the economy the government is overseeing the completion of a number of projects critical for the overall development of the country.
In the political sphere, a number of parties with similar ideologies are conducting positive merger processes which would add up to a preliminary preparation for the upcoming election in the country. Now the question is what is the role of the rest of the stakeholders that comprise the political system in the country so that democracy and economic development shall flourish in Ethiopia.
In Ethiopia there are a considerable number of civil society and traditional organizations that have continued to positively influence the overall socioeconomic development in the country. A strategy document and practical action plan needs to be worked out to clearly define their role in promoting peace and development in this country.
Since they mostly operate at the grassroots, they can serve as a conveyer belt between the public and the government. Religious organizations operating in Ethiopia are well placed and integrated into the social fabric of the public and can do their share in shaping the moral and ethical standards of the youth and their families.
The role of the religious organizations is already being felt in the country because of the unique position they occupy in the country. Apart from limiting their activities only to the needs of their membership, professional associations in the country can contribute a lot to peace and development.
Above all political parties and their membership shoulder a huge responsibility not only in coordinating the activities of their members but they are also duty bound to control the activities of their members and not limit themselves to holding press conferences for the media. The Ethiopian media with all its mix is attempting to inform the public on the current situation in the country but they still have a long way to go before they actually grasp and implement the cardinal values of peace journalism.
There are a number of professional and ethical issues that the media in this country need to consider along with their daily activities of broadcasting and publishing news. Balancing, employing fairness and judgment in news write up, accenting the positive instead of only choosing negative angles are some of the issues they can consider. Finally, the peoples of Ethiopia also carry important responsibilities as citizens.
Absence of peace disrupts the daily livelihood of Ethiopian children and their families, the elderly and disabled persons who are at the periphery of the political polemics in the country need to live a peaceful life as part of their constitutional rights. The entire peoples of Ethiopia are therefore duty bound to safeguard their own peace and refuse to be intimidated by forces who attempt to use them as baits or shelter. By all means, criminals are criminals and there is no racial or ethnic distinction in this respect.
The rule of law is for every one as peace, freedom and equity in the share of development programs is the constitutional right of every citizen. However, all this could be realized when peace prevails in the country. There are a number of extremely important factors that need to be addressed if any credible election is to be conducted in Ethiopia. Ensuring peace and unity among the electorate is a highly critical factor.
The National Election Board needs to swiftly review its strategies and operational manuals in par with the reform programs of the country. The reforms to be introduced by the public need to be participatory and also transparent. It is good news that the Board is working hard to introduce modernization of the election system in the country but efficiency and time should also be considered. As stated earlier, the next two years will certainly shape the future of this country and unless all the elements of the political system operate together it would be difficult to keep up to the expectations of the national vision of becoming a middle level developed country by 2025.
Herald December 29/2018
BY SOLOMON DIBABA
