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In today’s address to Parliament, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed faced tough questions from opposition MPs about the rising violence and insecurity in the country. The MPs expressed concerns about excessive use of force by law enforcement agencies, the absence of law and order, and the blockages imposed on travelers from the Amhara Regional State from entering Addis Abeba. There were also complaints about the lack of cohesion within the ruling Prosperity Party (PP), a border dispute with Sudan, and incursions from armed groups in South Sudan.
An opposition MP, Christian Tadelle, went as far as to suggest that the primary source of insecurity for the people is the current administration. Another MP from the South-West Regional State echoed this sentiment, saying that their electorate is calling for them to rescue them from the violence. The Prime Minister responded by urging his critics to come up with alternative ideas and to use the next national elections to wrestle political power from his party, the PP.
Aside from security concerns, Parliamentarians also raised issues related to poor performance and lack of equity in public infrastructure, pervasive official corruption, inadequate public utility provisions such as electricity and water, and the absence of media accountability. The Prime Minister acknowledged the challenge his administration faces in fighting corruption, describing it as “monumental.” He also called for the Media Authority to enforce the law forcefully, describing a segment of the press in Ethiopia as a “force for destruction.”
In his address, Prime Minister Abiy warned Parliamentarians that failure to pursue democratization could lead to the disintegration of the country, citing Germany’s Weimer government as an example of what could happen. He called for a “new normal” to survive the tectonic aftershock from the changing global order, whose impact he projected to be immense in the next five years.
Despite the criticisms and challenges facing his administration, the Prime Minister refused to resign, responding to an MP’s query by saying, “We should resign together.” He also disclosed that a joint ministerial committee had been established to resolve the border dispute with Sudan for eventual demarcation.
Overall, the Prime Minister’s address to Parliament highlighted the many challenges facing Ethiopia and the difficult decisions that lie ahead. However, he also emphasized the importance of working together and finding new solutions to these problems, particularly in the face of a changing global order that will require a new normal to survive.
