BY FITSUM GETACHEW
Scholars of politics like to say an elected government would definitely have more legal as well as moral authority and strength to govern on a certain people rather than one that has come to power under other circumstances. They say that is why elections do matter and they need to be free, fair and credible to have such authority or legitimacy. Elections no doubt are supposed to be one way of gauging the tastes and preferences and even the mood of the people. Election is the expression of feelings or thoughts.
There is no doubt that if elections are carried out in a free and fair atmosphere or environment they help facilitate in running things in the country with full confidence. The leaders are emboldened and encouraged to take every measure they deem useful to the society. That is why a lot of emphasis has been given to the current Ethiopian elections because they can help determine many crucial choices in the prospects of the nation. It should not be forgotten that it is ‘a new exercise’ as Ethiopians have never been lucky enough to cherish pleasant memories of elections carried out in a free and fair atmosphere, results announced in similar circumstances.
The challenges that African nations generally face in any elections are well known and multiple. There is a general understanding among many that the major limitations of the past elections in our case were that they were practically all carried out in an atmosphere of distrust and inequality with contending political parties (except the ruling ones) complaining of marginalization and not having enough of their legitimate share to gather their supporters and promote their ideas and policies. There were complaints that the bodies that were in charge of administering the elections were all clearly partisan having been assigned by the ruling coalition and that there was no way that the elections could be presumed to be free and fair and still less transparent. That was why there was always some doubt about the selection of the candidates, the legality of the process and finally the results.
Elections in many cases can often be a source of contention and controversies. This is so because not everyone involved in the process feels satisfied with the way they are run. Every political party tends to believe and portray to its followers that their loss is not necessarily due to their weakness or the weakness of their ideas and policies or that of their candidates but that of the system, the regime in power, the electoral board etc that has used its state machinery to take the upper hand. Unfortunately, it is in rare cases, particularly in the less developed countries, that parties accept with grace their defeat in any election. They find it comfortable to usually try to present a pretext, an external force to which to attach their set back.
In our specific case this of course does not help the system to develop and grow. And what is tragic is that the non acceptance of the results usually degenerates to opposition parties’ members and cadres engaging in violent activities. This can only contribute to bring down the system to chaos. And naturally, no one except the enemies of the state would benefit from such scenario. That is why many observers warn that avoiding this scenario must be the priority of the incumbent. But it must be supported and seconded by all stakeholders including all parties involved in the elections and the voters who expect a peaceful outcome from the polls.
Now there is a general understanding that the election to be held soon in our country is supposed to be the most democratic ever and we have heard political parties involved in the engagement feel that they have been given a fair shot in the process. We have heard them say that they have been allowed to present their platform and their candidates and they have been able to rally their supporters at will except in a few negligible cases. Of course demanding perfection in this exercise could be just a luxury. It would be good to note that most of the legally founded political parties have been allowed to freely present their ideas not only through the media but also through other means such as the press and outdoor public rallies. Most of them have also given positive testimonials to the body that is legally mandated to administer the elections. We have heard about trained observers and other staff that is involved in the process. It was a very busy year complicated by the protocols of COVID-19 pandemic which was in fact the cause of the delay by a year.
For months there have been discussions and rallies, debates and presentations on what kind of Ethiopia we want to have after the elections. It is true that the country is in the ‘making’ because it has been terribly governed for the last several decades, leaving alone the imperial times which may have little relevance for the current issues.
It is however useful to recall that democracy has never been more familiar or nearer to the Ethiopian people than now. Never in the past has the citizens of this country been able to express their ideas and opinions openly on how to be governed.
The digital transformation has evidently created a new world in which people can now have all the ideas they want to hear from all corners without virtually any limitations. The danger is that some elements especially working under the pay roll of enemies of the state are disseminating dangerous views and ideas using the unfettered social media. We have noted that they have been peddling venomous propaganda against whatever represents the country. Hence, the government in power has been recommending to the attention of the people that it dismiss these elements and make them irrelevant in the quest for a new democratically elected and viable government.
The recent ads released extensively on the media of the country by ‘facebook’ on how to detect and denounce hate speech and venomous propaganda must be encouraged because people must realize that this medium is often abused by unscrupulous and greedy politicians ready to fish in troubled waters!
Observers are heard asserting that Ethiopia currently needs to unite more than ever before because there are issues of critical importance that would define the not only near future but also the distant one. That is why the participation of every responsible adult citizen is key. We need to hear from a responsible public how the country must be run, not by a group that views things only from the perspective of their extended family advantages or ties and hence try to perpetuate a system that is discriminatory and based on artificially peddled animosities that are intended to divide and facilitate easy control. That was in fact what used to happen until very recently.
People understand from their own experience that there are infinitely so many things that unite Ethiopians than divide them. They know it because they have lived through it in practice. The ideas presented by certain self righteous politicians are so retrogressive and undemocratic that they are intended only to divide citizens in to small factions and disintegrate the country for the realization of their whims and caprices. Such strategy we have come to observe has been carefully crafted and applied during the past three to five decades! Ethiopians hence must realize that they can have robust say in their affairs at the international level and have their voice heard only if they keep their unity and integrity solid, and act as one.
We learn from history that all major victories recorded in the past were thanks to such resolve that emerged from the idea of ‘one country’, ‘one people’ and not eighty or more entities just because there are eighty languages and multiple creeds, beliefs and customs.
The beauty of Ethiopia is its immense variety that has nothing to go against its unity and action as one entity. It is clear that any form of unity must presuppose equality and justice and that can be realized only if we first of all do not compromise over our unity. Observers of Ethiopian history are often heard insisting that there are no hopes of continuing as a nation if we leave too much space for political forces such as the defunct TPLF for instance, or the terror motivated ‘Shene’ or other similar forces that are busy only magnifying differences and trying to capitalize on them.
Differences of various types can exist in any country one can think of but that does not prevent it from constituting one large political reality and live with them. If for instance you take the United States of America, no country around the world could boast of more radical differences than the various peoples of all origins living with fidelity to one constitutional order and one federal structure than it is.
The country is as strong as any country could be in spite of the diversity among the populations. What is key is that differences are respected and celebrated without being denigrated or undermined. Languages are respected and allowed to be used officially and no segment of the society is allowed to be left behind. That is the essence and beauty of a democratic system. That is the system that we in our country need to aspire to cherish and honor. The people of Ethiopia have learned from history that their uniqueness and compactness as a nation in a democratic structure based on justice and equality is their only guarantee for survival.
Those who continue to thrive on the negative and destructive narratives of the past seem not to have a clear idea of what the future could reserve to their children and grand children. Many assert we have the duty to leave a better country than we inherited from our forefathers. And first of all we need to keep it intact, united and one that is administered democratically. We must also realize that ‘division’ and controversies on any number of issues is a homework that our enemies prescribe to us so that we are busy bickering amongst ourselves.
Suffice it to see and learn from the experience of so many countries breaking up into pieces in front of our eyes. Clueless and unscrupulous politicians abound in the world at large and greedy ones as well. Many observers warn that forces that operate from outside are busy disseminating destructive propaganda against our nation so that they can take full advantage of our divisions. That is why our sovereignty as a nation must never be open for any discussion or compromise! We have heard recently the premier assert that people must not forget that there are elements and forces that work day and night to disseminate animosities among our peoples so that there is no cohesion and concerted action. That is why this election and the result could be a first and basic cornerstone for the future of this country. It must be an expression of cohesion and unity.
For that to happen we all need to depart from old narratives and begin fresh with a new outlook because our past narratives have not helped us make any significant progress with the times. We need to depart from old politicians still motivated and determined by old ideas. We can begin our trajectory towards progress and justice, towards equality and prosperity only if we divorce from outdated narratives and bring together all our forces and resources towards one end.
Our enemies must never have a chance to divide us on any issue of our concern. Hence security wise, sovereignty wise and above all regarding the completion of the GERD project, there must never be any division and difference among Ethiopians. Interferences from any foreign forces must also be rejected emphatically and that is why we need to rally behind the firm stance of our government.
The tragic events that happened during the past six months and more have been a result, direct or indirect, of the mistaken political ideologies that our leaders have been imposing on us for the past several decades. Focusing on animosities among ethnic groups and language groups using venomous propaganda, preaching hatred rather than love and understanding have facilitated the carnage: openly engaging in shooting against one’s own compatriots and one’s own comrades in arms! In fact, it was not worth it at all except for the greed and insatiable appetite for power of a few individuals, prisoners of their past history, incapable of rising up to the needs and ideas of the times.
It is our duty to change these narratives to fit the current state of affairs and think in terms of reconciliation and peace. The best way to defeat these ideas is to select a force that can help us shape our future in the right direction.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD JUNE 17 /2021
