Dear Ethiopia,
You will probably have a new leader by the time I wakeup “tomorrow” morning. So let me leave you with some thoughts.
1) The ruling party, EPRDF, has two options: Reform or perish. There is only one constituent party that has a close to serious reformist credential. You may recall that the said party was behind the prisoner release announced in January and much of the substantive comments at the “everything-under-the-sun megleca.”
To save “our vangaurd party” and indeed the country from further crisis, let the reformED party lead its own agenda. No need for babysitters this time. Also, I can relate from experience, that parents often think even their adult children are babies but at 28 (or 42) surely the reform party is old enough to lead the country. Just let it go TPLF. Don’t be one of those stubborn and annoying dads. .
2) IMPORTANTly, the reformist party must not take the helm simply because they need something to show for their lofty rhetoric of the past two years. It will be suicidal to make compromises or trade offs on the more important and consequential reforms (to the economy, security and military sectors) for the sake of the PM position.
3) The new EPRDF leader has to be formally confirmed by parliament but the party can send a clear and unequivocal message tomorrow by laying out an all-inclusive reform agenda and a roadmap as part of its announcement. That should start with calls for the swift repeal of the disastarous and unlawful emergency decree. Then call opposition leaders and extend an invitation for a sit-down in Arat Kilo. Free all those arrested under SoE and the tens of thousands of political prisoners still unjustly incarcerated. Tell their families the fate of the legioins who have disappeared without trace since 1991.
4) Much ink, including mine, has been spilled on who will or should be the next Ethiopian PM. But the most important and far-reaching questions are: Who will be the next military chief of staff, the intelligence chief, attorney general, minister of justice, and changes the electoral board. In other words, once the speculation about who will be the next PM ends, we will be asking: Who will replace Samora, Getachew, Ambaye ….
5) Please finally and completely retire and put the old old guard in a nursing home. Seriously. Aboy. Abay. Bye. Bye.
6) Accountability. End of impunity. Abdi Illey. Contrabandists. Rent seekers.
7) Repeal ATP, mass media law and CSO law. Free the judicial branch. Free the legislature.
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Toltu nu haa dhageesisu. Kanuma.