It is public knowledge that the Ethiopian House of Peoples Representatives has been dull for most of its existence. But the ongoing political reform seems to change this reality.
For long, the spirit of the House has been a typical mirror image of the country’s political atmosphere. The House has been entirely controlled by the ruling party EPRDF and its affiliates and more often than not, it has acted as a mere spectator in the government business.
Put it simply, it has been the executor of the executive body’s decisions. In the past couple of years, there had not been any incidents where the Members of Parliament (MPs) held diverse stances on national issues of significance.
But, ever since the start of the reform, there come moments in the House that give a sense of hope and optimism that this tradition would change once and for all. MPs have now started to seriously debate and hold diverse views.
This has resulted in some matters to be settled by vote, unlike the previous times when every issue that is proposed by the executive body will be approved by MPs anonymously.
With this encouraging initiative, and as it is entering its final tenure, a lot is expected from the House in supporting the ongoing reform and the effort to achieve a smooth transition to democracy.
In the past year, the country has undertaken various activities that aim at revitalizing the economy and the terrible political situation. This time around, MPs have been engaging more actively in crafting new laws and other activities.
Following the start of the reform, there have been signs that it has started to play a more active and critical role in the government business. In the past year, various laws and proclamations have been amended with a view to widening up the political space. Notable in this order are the election, civil societies, charities, and anti-terrorism laws. In the process, the House has played an elevated role than what has been the case previously.
Unlike in the past, MPs have started to show differences and raise critical questions during lawmaking and executive bodies’ performance reports. This can be considered a significant step forward in a country with poor political culture.
Most importantly, huge tasks are expected of the House to facilitate the upcoming 5th National Elections and the 4th National Census. In this historic juncture where the country is expected to conduct free and fair elections, MPs have to pave the way for it to happen. The House has to introduce strict supervision mechanism so that the results of the national elections and national census are acceptable by the general public.
After the reform, moderate changes have been observed in the House and MPs have started to echo the public’s concerns. In its final tenure, the House has an opportunity to leave its fingerprint in the country’s history by laying the foundation for a democratic transition and culture. It’s the last chance to alter its history of having a bad reputation before it is succeeded by a new parliament following this year’s elections.
The Ethiopian Herald October 10/2019
