As part of the political reform process, Ethiopia entered with the coming of Dr. Abiy Ahmed to office, the country has been revising a series of repressive laws in a bid to create transparent, accountable and democratic governance.
One of those laws redrafted was the Charities and Societies Proclamation, which aims to open up the hitherto constrained political space of civil society organizations (CSOs). This has opened a breath of much needed energetic and fresh air in the political sphere since then, as they started to put in the necessary contribution to the cultivation of an open and vibrant democracy in the country.
They have been participating in legal proclamation draft processions, policy processes, and due to their increased number (that came as a result of the law’s reform), they have served as observers in all the electoral stations during the Sidama’s referendum election, for instance.
While Ethiopia’s reform of its laws on civil society organizations is commendable, still works remain in making sure that they are not politicized and have shared values, which is equally crucial in restoring the trust that allows civil society associations to flourish.
This is crucial because CSOs can play an important role in consolidating democracy and good governance, and in building a democratic society, generally speaking. And it is also crucial that the newly reinvigorated civil society movement provide new impetus to the country’s political reform.
As it is the year that the country will have its general election, civil association organizations can play a huge role in making the election free, fair and democratic. Not only that they can be an added bonus, a huge one at that, in managing the post-election process as well.
Thus, making sure that they are not politicized is imperative if they are to play their expected role, or else, things can go in the negative direction quickly. If they compromised their autonomy and politicized themselves to certain political parties or political block, they can hardly play their expected role to ensure good governance and strengthen democracy.
In the past political culture, due to how the politics at that time was programmed, some civil society groups have operated as proxies to political organizations. However, through the political reform, including the newly drafted CSO law that is meant to give more space to them, the government is trying to create a new political culture where such dynamics no longer exist. Thus, considering this, they should not allow their functions to be politicized, and must retain their independence.
All in all, creating a new political culture in Ethiopia that can help advance its nascent democracy with CSOs playing their expected role is important without it being politicized. And it will take huge efforts from the government and the associations themselves to bypass the huge challenges that stand between achieving this goal, and will not happen overnight. The upcoming election will give us an indication of where we are right now in this regard, and what we need to do as a nation moving forward.
The Ethiopian Herald, January 29/20120
