“We all must be curious and responsible enough to make our election peaceful and a true channel in which individuals or groups who belong to the party we prefer assume power come to palace. Here, every citizenry especially political parties should know that we do have one country—Ethiopia—where we can live in harmony, reflect hostility, criticize one another, conclude marriage or even carryout funeral ceremonies in its existence; it is equaled by none, nothing is more taken care of than the country is,” said Rahmet Mohammed in a rising tone of utterance. She is a sociology graduate at Addis Ababa University and working for a local NGO.
The aforesaid expression touches the all rounded aspects revolving around the upcoming elections for which Ethiopia has been finalized preparations to hold in June, the country is left with finger counted days to put this into practice. The woman put her idea in a precise, telling and touchy fashion.
According to Rahmet, no one can come and act accordingly to make this country hub of equality, freedom, coexistence and center of development unless all citizens of the nation move in unison and work from dawn to dusk for its growth and prosperity. Of the major steps to do so, conducting fair, free, credible and democratic elections to come up with a legitimate, responsible, accountable and committed leadership that to lives up to the oaths made prior to its power annexation comes at the forefront.
Cognizant of the fact that Ethiopia is suffering from the prevalence of pseudo elections five times which was full of conspiracy, intimidations and duress, the government set up an independent election board to smoothly and confidently run the election.
Another woman whom this writer approached for comment about the election is Metasebia Muleta from Addis Ababa Science and Technology University. She said that the upcoming election will be the historic milestone in the account of the country as the past five elections were not true elections.
“I participated in the four out of the five elections held earlier; I would like to say Ethiopia should have said it is going to hold election for the first time as all the five ones were not elections instead formats designed to win the confidence of the international community as if the government was a legitimate and elected one,”Metasebia said.
However, she added conducting these elections was not bad as merely it can provide the country with ample opportunities to draw important lessons to decide what a good lessons to be maintained is and what are irrelevant trends to be ducked.
According to Metasebia, every citizenry has to be well aware of the conspiracies orchestrated against Ethiopia and its people by elements from within and accomplices from overseas. “We do have a golden and prosperous nation of which we all are proud. We are expected to making it affluent, comprehensive and competitive at any price. If Ethiopians from corner to corner solidify synergy, develop sense of belongingness for their motherland and towards one another, its enemies are going to zip their doorway and refrain from puffing what they are fed by anti-Ethiopia and anti-peace and elements here and there to interfere in internal affairs.”
Dereje Tekle, representative of Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (Commonly EZEMA), said, “Since an election is the determinant factor for the given nation to pass officials to assume power, its process has to consider the culture, norms of the general society and follow the right procedures, rules, regulations and laws of the country.”
As to Dereje, the general public is expected to turn out and elect whom they prefer and think is capable of administering this country as well as push it forward being triumphant over the internal and external foes of the nation.
As far as political parties are concerned, every party has to be well readied to graciously accept whatever the election outcome would be so long as every party is preparing themselves to serve the nation and its people as equally and democratically as possible.
Metasebiya Demeke is a shopkeeper. She, as an electorate, said proper counting and lauding of the votes of the electorate as well as making the result public as promptly as possible to the smooth flow of the social, economic, and political and other related aspects of the nations, has to be well taken in to account.
As to her, the government in turn has to be well prepared to confidently ensure the peace and security of the nation to help them feel comfortable either in pre, during and post elections periods.
Women have to come to leadership as their headship is of paramount importance in boosting the peaceful aspects, creating generation that can condemn corruption and malpractices as well as pushing the nation steps forward.
“The security force has to all the time be ready and committed to ensure the serenity, tranquility and calm atmosphere in the country especially at pre, during and post-election scenarios. It has to be well comprehended and scrupulously investigated that anti-peace elements at home and abroad are in a position to disrupt the election and get the country in a tumultuous situations. Hence, this intention has to be appealingly averted by the combined effort of all regardless of religion, tribal category, age, social status and whatever criterion taken as a difference,” said Metasebiya.
According to her, some segments of the society have shown intention to support TPLF and Shene. These have already been designated as terrorists. They are terrorists, indeed. “As to me, the leftovers of these groups would leave no stone unturned to give Ethiopia hard time and even to dismantle it if they can.”
Absolutely, they are, will be, disturbing pre-election conditions, the day of the election, even after the election by widely disseminating the fictitious and falsehood fabrications as much as they can. What matters here is the general public has to separate the seed from the chaff. The anti-peace and anti-unity propaganda disseminated by Ethiopia’s enemies at home and oversees has to well alienated.
Workitu Waqjira is a social worker at a certain local NGO and forwarded her idea about the upcoming elections. She said, “Our election to be conducted next June will be a fundamental step for our country towards democracy and comprehensive political system. We had held five pseudo elections over the past close to thirty years. What is expected of every citizen is to be watchdogs of each and every national agendum. The role of all walks of life in making the upcoming elections is incomparable. No need of cooperating and supporting our historical enemies that have been working day in and day out to dismantle our beloved nation—Ethiopia.
Frankly speaking, she said no any enter foe for Ethiopia can be registered as betrayal and corrosive as TPLF and Shene. They have already been designated as terrorists; they are terrorists hereafter, any individual or groups has to be made accountable if they try to support the terrorist groups swallowing poisonous utterances, run their ideology, and act as members or being close friends as stipulated in Article 3 of Proclamation No. 1176/2020 on the Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism Crimes.
BY MENGESHA AMARE
The Ethiopian Herald May 21/2021
