A Beginning from Dead End: Consolidating Achievements and Making Smooth Transition to Democracy in Ethiopia

Kena Deme Jebessa

doi:10.7176/iags/74-04

Abstract

Ethiopia has been experiencing extreme and repeated mass protests, uprising and society-government relationship crisis over the past two to three decades. The absolute dominance of a single vanguard party, EPRDF as well as the absence of fair representation of Ethiopian nations, nationalities and peoples at federal institutions resulted power dominance by single ethnic group, deterioration of institutions and political opposition. After many sacrificed their lives, new chapter is opened that new leadership came to the position of prime minister as a measure of how the EPRDF tried to convince Ethiopians that it is renewing itself. The new leadership started taking reforms. The reforms introduced by the new leadership were unthinkable not so long ago. However, as reforms started, different challenges are obstructing it. This study shows that the current Ethiopian condition requires going forward and strongly firm on securing rule of law and justice. Finally, if Ethiopia is going to be surviving as a state in the future, it highly demands encouraging the existing reform through institutionalizing hand in hand with democratic federalism; otherwise it is impossible to bring national unity and stability. Key w ords : Protest, Reform, Ethiopia, Transition to Democracy, Revolution in Ethiopia DOI : 10.7176/IAGS/74-04 Publication date :July 31 st 2019

Highlights

Ethiopia, a multi-ethnic and multi-linguistic state found in the horn of Africa is in a transition of reform
A notable political and economic change in Ethiopia is a change from highly homogenization based on one nation and uniform linguistic principle and centrist rule to a federal system aiming at managing its complex diversity
Since the overthrow of the military regime in 1991, Ethiopia entered to a new era which is signified by the establishment of a federal state structure

Summary

Introduction

A multi-ethnic and multi-linguistic state found in the horn of Africa is in a transition of reform now. No.1/1995), which vindicates parliamentary federal democracy with two chambers at the federal level and nine regional governments with one chamber each, except for the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples State which later adopted a bicameral arrangement. This process of state transformation has completely abandoned the highly centralized government structure that had been practiced nearly for about a century. Apart from this, the new Ethiopian government has been able to destroy both psychological and physical His appointment marks a significant step towards resolving the unrest and violence that led to the decree of state of emergency repeatedly.

Problems

Build Unity within Diversity

Conclusion