BY SOLOMON DIBABA
My readers would recall that I have earlier made several contributions regarding the issue of the next election in the country. The upcoming national election in Ethiopia to be conducted in a couple of months is a litmus paper for the fate of democracy and good governance in the country. It is very important to realize that the entire election process is as important as the result of the election itself.
The ruling party has promised to provide all the necessary support for conducting a transparent election in which the rule of law would prevail but more is to be desired from those who participate in competing for seats in the HPR and HR.
Nonetheless, the election will also be a test case for the entire reform program that was conducted by the government over the last couple of years. The positive reforms in the economic and social services would certainly be taken into consideration along with the parallel challenges faced in securing a credible election in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia is holding the next national election under the back drop of political turmoil and betrayal conducted by the TPLF on the northern command and series of genocidal murders and political assassinations conducted in different parts of the country by its assassins.
Besides, the nation is still grappling with the huge effects of COVID-19, proliferation of locust, huge unemployment level, and economic sabotages in the form of contraband, money laundering and printing of fake bank currencies.
Ethiopia expects to host both ethnic based and non-ethnic parties in the forthcoming election. This would certainly provide an opportunity for diversity which provides a beauty to the democratic development in the country.
There is also an apparent danger that any level of misconception on ethnicity could obstruct the nascent democracy and the quest for meaningful and applicable unity which needs to be amplified in the country.
As demonstrated in the recent various relief supports provided to citizens affected by internal displacements triggered by TPLF machinations, there is ample and deep-seated heart for unity among ordinary citizens from different ethnic societies in the country but still some political groups still try to work on inciting one ethic group against the other for their own political objectives.
Besides, some countries are trying to speculate on or possibly exploit the challenges in the country falsely alleging that Ethiopia is in a state of utter weakness and disintegration.
Despite these situations, it seems that very little is being done by our political parties that demand democracy on a clean plate and do little to get it on board. The scapegoats of lack of security are of course there as an excuse for their inaction on public mobilization and education.
The next election provides all concerned elements of the political system a historical opportunity to rectify all the odd mistakes, manipulations and deceptions conducted in the name of democracy over the past decades. Unless the parties in the country are geared up to work towards the unity of the peoples of this country in practice, there is a danger that the results of the upcoming election could be dragged down to a reverse gear going back to square one.
Some may think that peaceful election in Ethiopia is a prerogative of the government represented by National Electoral Board of Ethiopia and the security forces of the country.
This is erroneous because election is a major political rule that effectively depicts the contractual relationship between the sovereign peoples of Ethiopia and the party that wins to form a democratic government in the country.
The democratic nature of the upcoming election is to be viewed in the main, on the extent to which the elements of the political system are getting ready for this decisive event.
Civil society organizations, professional associations, trade unions, youth associations and religious organizations are duty bound to work towards national consensus in their own organizational and operational territories. Regrettably enough, as they are already preoccupied by other secondary issues, none of these organizations seem to realize the urgency of the upcoming election.
It is true that the FDRE Constitutions which charts out not only important provisions for national election but provides the basis on which parties and regional governments operate.
On the other hand, amendment of the constitution itself largely depends upon the successful completion of the election which I assume would pave the way for several legal technical amendments required to make the constitution a viable tool for promotion of democracy and the rule of law in Ethiopia. There is no question that some articles of the constitution need to be amended through the amendment provisions set in the constitution itself.
The 6th national election is a top priority issue for this country not only because we need a responsible government from a party that would win but also because this election is important for resolve multiple problems that the country is facing.
The national election to be held has very important implications for Ethiopia’s foreign relations and diplomacy. In the current condition of misinformation and misconceptions on the realties in the country, a huge barrage of election related misinformation is expected during the process of the election and its aftermath.
Because of Ethiopia’s position and rootedness in the global and regional developments, the outcomes of the election in this country have a profound effect on the current and longstanding political developments in the Horn of Africa and even at the continental level
Although TPLF and other anti-Ethiopia forces are politically defeated, they will certainly continue to bandwagon on discrediting any positive development in the country including inclusive, fair, credible and peaceful election expected in the country.
Safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country and ensuring massive public participation on ensuring peace during and after the election is an important factor to be considered by all stakeholders and relevant public institutions.
The mainstream media and the social media can play a useful positive role in promoting democratic election in Ethiopia or may play disruptive role that can endanger both the process and the results of the election.
The level of accountability between the social media outlets differ because social media users are not subject the media rules and regulations set by the NEBE while mainstream media could be held accountable for any misinformation they may release on local and international media streams.
The media can play a decisive role in accurately disseminating news and views on the election process and in presenting evidence-based information on the process and results at the end of the election.
The next election, in my view could serve as a dress rehearsal for the startup of a real democratic order in the future political process in the country and should not be taken as a full democratic process.
I think it would certainly give all stakeholders in the election an opportunity to correct and effectively rectify the major shortfalls in the previous elections.
As I have noted in my pervious contributions the quality of any national election cannot be measured only through the results. One of the most important indicators of conducting a democratic election is the extent to which all the stakeholders have discharged their responsibilities in the conduct of peaceful, fair, inclusive, equitable and transparent election setting the cornerstone for all future elections in the country.
Over the shorter period of time before the election, competing political parties and their leadership have a far greater responsibility to shoulder in preparing themselves to cruise through the entire electoral process including opening offices and shortlisting of candidates who could effectively compete in the election and contributing their part in promoting the rule of law.
Some of the political parties that are newly formed through mergers and those who have also revised their ideological perspectives set a new perspective in the political and ideological culture in the country
A considerable number of these parties have transferred themselves from clandestine operatives to official registration as opposition parties. They are therefore expected to give viable and detailed alternatives for citizens instead of focusing on pervious generalities which most cases fail to tally with reality on the ground.
All told, all election processes outlined by the NEBE require meticulous monitoring and evaluation at all levels operations that lead to the final Election Day. This election process that has been interrupted by the onset of COVID-19 should also serve as an occasion on which the electors flocking to the polling stations fully observe the protocols set by W.H. O. and the Ministry of Health.
The Ethiopian Herald January 26/2021
