From EPRDF to Classified PP
It was this year February 2019 when Prime minister Abiy Ahmed addressed almost three thousand delegates selected from the long-developing regions in the Ethiopian context of Somali, Binishangul-Gumuz, Gambela, and Afar Region’s party Chairs, regional Presidents, and other parts of their community; Elite, traditional leaders to merge with the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front that he leads and form what he called a united Ethiopian party.
The tone and the theme of that meeting were very different from any other meeting held between these groups in the memory of the Ethiopian country’s political arena. The meeting was the main gate briefing of these four Region peripheral parties.
EPRDF is a coalition of four political parties namely, Amhara Democratic Party (ADP), Oromo Democratic Party (ODP), Tigray People’s Liberation Front(TPLF), and Southern Ethiopian People’s Democratic Movement(SEPDM).
I was expecting this kind of offer so many years ago and it is coming at the exact time I wished. Believe me, I used to say to my friends at times we glance at the country's politics ‘EPRFD will offer parties like Ethiopia Somali Democratic People’s Party now Somali Democratic Party( ESDPP) to include its coalition, not in an enjoyable time but maybe when they are going to disappear and a day that the big they start working against and racing to accommodate ESDPP into their coalition or when they divorce themselves and every member in this coalition will act alone and find a partnership with the long-term watchers of what was happening the past 27 years.
What every party of these Regional Sates ruling parties are very aware of is that EPRDF is offering to take these parties, Afar National Democratic Party, Binishangul-Gumuz People’s Democratic Unity Font Somali Democratic Party (SDP), where they have already over grassed and dried up and asking why EPRDF did not seriously offer them for the last almost three decades of good pasture. What is the universal fact is there were times that this Coalition developed a lot of development strategies and implemented huge megaprojects that are lifted farmers of their regions from dust, while these Developing Regional States( DRSs) led by these pastoralist parties thrived the inclusion of the development narrations; but EPRDF decided multimillion Development packages not to go out beyond their premises and implemented in their regions, namely Tigray, Oromia, Amhara and Southern Nation Nationalities and People’s Regional Sates to change the lives of their people like; their children are accessing schools almost everywhere while for these DRSs children almost travel KMs to go to schools; it is if they get still.
I am congratulating the current chairman of the EPRDF his excellence Dr. Abiy Ahmed not because he is the PM of this Country and demanding him a job having said this, but because of this like no offer and his hand that he flagged to the brothers of the word ‘’Tadagii” in Amharic meaning in English Developing to join the forum for the first time and his all commitment that he is pushing this agenda forward while he needs to dish on the same platform with DRSs Ruling Parties, no matter the time it is and I wish he would do the same if he had in the place form the very early heydays in the EPRDF coalition.
What we cannot deny also is the merging plan that of EPRDF is making only these pastoralists Regions just to hear the discussion of how to fix the critical situation that the country is facing and EPRDF wants this time to fish the idea of the very fresh minds of the these DRS’s ruling parties to help to diffuse the country from the hostile situation.
When it comes to what I believe about the merging plan and the offer these Regions are getting; here is a fact that I am keen these DRSs led by the Ruling parties offered to merge EPRDF will benefit and see a sign of inclusion from EPRF lead Government. The Developed a Pastoralist Development Policy and Strategy(PDPaS) that is in its final stage for the first time in this County is seen which I have witnessed and participated in the consultation of the final inputs of this PDPaS from Somali Regional State end. In a meantime, I am considering this offer now like “Too late and Little Offer when I see the time and the confused EPRDF Coalition where even its members are close to withdrawing their signature and divorce themselves if they didn’t do it already.
To conclude my piece, I am recommending to the DRSs Ruling parties; look at the serious offer from the Chairman of the EPRDF Coalition from every side and every angle without undermining any idea and include the discussions all different kinds of work of lives in your regions elites, showcasing the merits and demerits of the merging plan while you are considering the need of your poor community who are marginalized and leading the least developed communities of the country. And I am alerting you to make any hijack you made and lead to your community where they cannot heal even the wounds of the last three decade’s exclusions and rush to the platform. If the party that you offered to merge information is classified still and things that you know about it is limited, don’t be afraid to ask to get any information and detail you want. Ten that when you and your people decide whether the platform is a place to rush or a pace no to rush as its sweetness lasted.
My thoughts and prayers are with the marginalized Community in these Developing Regional States and I wish their future and development will always shine.
