ADDIS ABABA – The sweep political reforms that had been introduced by Premier Abiy Ahmed (PhD) throughout the year have to be appreciated and supported in light of seeing a glimmer of hope in the recent complex political crisis of country, contesting political parties underscored. In connection with today’s first anniversary of Abiy premiership, The Ethiopian Herald approached some members of political parties.
“The releasing of all political prisoners, returning home of the exiled political parties including the armed ones and achieving diplomatic breakthrough with Eritrea are the part and parcel of the reform,” said Tigistu Awolu, Unity for Democracy and Justice Party Chairperson. He went on saying the nomination of impartial chairperson for the National Electorate Board for the first time and the enforcement of the right to freedom of expression have made the so far reform promising.
However, he noted that these days the reform is facing dire challenges as it is unable to replace oppressive legal frameworks. “The reform has not gone deeply to the lower level in the ruling coalition as a result the incumbent has failed on several occasions to pass unanimous political decisions.” So far, the reform has not brought conducive environment for civic societies as they have been made incapable to criticize the government’s misconducts, Tigistu said.
As to him, the ruling party has not enabled to get out of the quagmire of the ethnic based clashes aside from fighting out to ensure rule of law and stop on and off mob justice in some states of the country.
The competing political parties are still in dire need of larger political landscape before the next general elections, he indicated. Appreciating the tangible political reforms in terms of setting free prisoners of conscience and taking initiatives to amend oppressive laws, Prof. Merera Gudina, Chairperson of Oromo Federalist Congress Party, said the government has been reluctant to take stiff legal measure against wrongdoers that are working day and night to instigate violence across the country for the sake of personal gains.
“Such unlawful act has been spreading unrest nationwide. Therefore, the government ought to have strong commitment to ensure rule of law and stabilize the nation once and forever.” The government also needs to work harder on bringing about national consensus and turning the reform into progress, he recommended. For Ethiopian Social Democratic Party Chairperson Prof. Beyene Petros, the reform has brought public trust in the new administration for it has solved a number of public grievances in the shortest period of time.
“The reform has brought us a charismatic leader that strongly believe in democratic discussion and capable of understanding and analyzing country’s political affairs. This flickers a ray of hope in the heart of the people. However the hope by itself is not good enough. It needs a strong implementation programs guided by clear political and legal frameworks to improve the lives of the people” The Chairperson told Addis Zemen daily that absence of clear political ambition, unwillingness to change aged political ideology and inefficiency to ensure rule of law are the major challenges that are hindering the reform to achieve its long term goals.
“The country is still facing absence of rule of law, democracy and good governance even after the political change,” he stated. Therefore, the government should ensure democracy and good governance to avert internal displacement and answer the public grievances, according to him. Despite some notable ongoing political challenges, the reformist administration which led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has brought some tangible social and political changes. The three-year long public protest across the country had forced the incumbent to introduce the current political and economic reforms, it was learnt.
The Ethiopian Herald, April 2/2019
BY YOHANES JEMANEH
