Minority and Federalism: An Assessment of the Right to Political Participation of Non-Indigenous peoples in Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

Ethiopia design ethnic-based federal (though not purely) state structure to respond to the challenges of minorities by developing a counter-majority institutional system. However, this approach literally left 'non-native'/'non-indigenous' group of peoples out of the constitutional recognition and institutional consideration of the regional state administration. Likely, as one regional state of Ethiopia, Benishangul-Gumuz National Regional State had face serious criticism concerning on the right of these groups of people. Minding this, this paper attempt to make a basic assessment on the right to political participation of 'non-indigenous' peoples in Benishangul-Gumuz regional state. In doing so, an interview with focal persons were conducted. In addition to this, different literatures, legal documents and policy documents were used. Finally, the study reveals that the right to political participation has been shortened by normative and institutional constraints. Hence, it is recommended that there must be a constitutional and institutional change in Ethiopian federalism.