ADDIS ABABA – Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed said that the establishment of the Prosperity Party (PP) took all the required legal steps. In a Facebook page post, the Prime Minister said establishment of the party had been studied by scholars and also tabled for discussion to leadership at all levels.
In an extraordinary session held yesterday, the Oromo Democratic Party (ODP) and the Amhara Democratic Party (ADP) unanimously approved the merger of the ruling coalition-EPRDF, he said.
During the meeting, the two parties discussed on merger of ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), ally parties’ issue, and structure and guidelines of the Prosperity Party in which they reached a final decision of merging with the newly formed Prosperity Party.
The two-founding member political parties of the ruling coalition unanimously approved their respective merger with the PP during the urgent meetings that ended on Wednesday, November 27, 2019. Forward with the “Prosperity Party” Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed twitted after the two parties declared the merger plan with PP.
“Out of 1,200 ADP members of its general assembly, 960 of them attended today’s urgent meeting and unanimously approved the merger plan, Abrham Alehegn,” ADP’s central committee member said. Urban Planning and Political Division Head of ODP, Kassahun Goffe, in a briefing said the rebranding and unification of EPRDF was carried out without affecting the federal system and the country’s constitution.
The party’s reform goes along with the current world political situation and creates an enabling environment for all peoples of Ethiopia to participate in their country’s national issues. Unlike the previous one, the Prosperity Party does not apply a “divide and rule” system, he added.
The officials said the general assemblies of the two political parties have thoroughly discussed programs of the Prosperity Party with members of the executive committee who have given detail explanations. Likewise, the Southern Ethiopian Peoples’ Democratic Movement (SEPDM) has approved the merger unanimously yesterday. All these steps verify that the establishment of the party took all the necessary legal steps.
Aside from EPRDF member parties, Somali Democratic Party (SDP), Afar National Democratic Party (ANDP), Gambela Peoples Democratic Movement (GPDM), Harari National League (HNL) and Benishangul-Gumuz Democratic Party (BDP), allies of the ruling collation decided to join the proposed Prosperity Party.
Meanwhile the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which was one of the founding members and a major power in EPRDF for a while, opposed the drives to disband the front before preconditions are met, including legal procedures.
“The move was to disband the EPRDF, weakens the federal system and takes away the rights of people to self-administration. The drive to form a united party does not consider the existing situations in the country,” Debretsion Geberemichael (PhD), chairman of TPLF, said in a recent briefing.
TPLF has called for an urgent party congress to determine if party members are in favor of the organization’s leadership or that of the Prosperity Party. Whether TPLF joins or not, the Prosperity Party will replace the EPRDF, which will certainly go away after nearly three decades of rule over Ethiopia with the TPLF in the lead.
The Ethiopian Herald, November 29/2019
BY BILAL DERSO
