The Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) has shaped Ethiopia’s political landscape for almost three decades. The ruling coalition has recently approved a merger which is expected to have a huge implication on the political landscape.
After toppling the military regime almost 28 years ago, the four members of EPRDF that come from Tigray, Amhara, Oromia, and SNNP single handedly influenced the political life of the country with the ideology of ‘revolutionary democracy’. Ever since the start of the reform, the country seems to be embracing a new political discourse. The ruling front is also taking a new path by embracing merger and incorporating its partner parties in the new ‘Prosperity Party’.
A Scholar and politician claim that the establishment of the new party will have a significance influence on the country’s political landscape by realizing fair representation to different groups as the Front has marginalized portion of the nations, nationalists, and peoples of Ethiopia from the center politics. Sisay Asemrie, Assistance Professor of Political Philosophy at Gondar University tells The Ethiopian Herald that in the past three decades, power has not been assumed through the supremacy of ideas. Rather, it was individuals or groups with a common interest and similar ethnic background that controlled the country’s political life.
“The situation closed door for a vast number of Ethiopians to take part in the country’s governance system. And this unjust structure has violated the constitutional rights of some groups, citizens and great thinkers.” The merger will open the door for the battle of ideas and rather than ethnicity and kinship organization, policy preferences will become the parameters for parties to get public votes during elections, Sisay says.
The EPDRF’s merger will also serve as a key tool to realize ever lasting peace in the country and preserve the unity and sovereignty of the country. Over the last years, the Front’s structure has promoted fragmentation and disintegration as it denied fair representation and lacks the consent of some nations.
Most of all, unlike the current structure which does not allow Ethiopians who are not members of the four parties that make up EPRDF, the merger will make it open for every Ethiopian to join the party and become Head of Government. “If managed with sound policy and fairly, it is a remarkable step in the history of Ethiopia.”
Fekadu Tesema, Head of EPDRF’s Political and Civic Affairs says the fundamental objective of the merger is to address the prolonged quest of fair representation, consolidate federalism and thereby form a single political and economic community. “A unitary system could no longer be functional as the situation of the country does not allow it. The merger is rather a means to grant equal constitutional rights for all Ethiopians.”
Fekadu also says the idea does not come all of a sudden as it was the decision of the Front’s 5th regular session. “The current situation in Ethiopia also demands the merger.” According to him, the merger will be finalized before the upcoming election.
The Ethiopian Herald, November 21/2019
BY LAKACHEW ATINAFU
