Naive and Vulnarable Spliters I dont understand why parties operating peacefully in Ethiopia prefer naive young candidates who are energetic but emotionally unstable, easily compromised, and vulnerable for TPLF luring during election season? TPLF will never go unless parties start to work their way towards urban territories from peripheries, at least this is true in the country south. Urban areas were centres of change for decades. But not any more since 2005. TPLF/EPRDF will never let opposition parties win in urban areas because they have capitalized so much on urban constituencies to make sure everything is so tightly controlled. For election this time around, change would most likely come from rural constituencies both through ballot box or popular uprising that would converge into urban centres. I know this for sure in case of Oromia. Change is being baked. In Urban areas, TPLF/EPRF has made it almost impossible for rich citizens respected in society with ripple effect to participate in politics. Everyone is intimidated because EPRDF can sabotage their properties and their lives in snap of a finger and they fear lose for nothing and would not want to face the risk. In rural areas, however, surprisingly, the dictatorial regime is increasingly withdrawing its resources and mechanisms of freakingly controlling the day-to-day life of farmers. This is due to limited resource it has and the very intensive nature of controlling everything in urban areas. Of course still farmers are controlled in 1 to 5 configuration and they are heavenly indebted of fertilizer and other agricultural inputs. In a way, that would give them the reason to revolt because what they earn from their plot of land goes to the government with limited money left to sustain their life. Economic vulnerabilities yield some ugly divisions within parties. This has happened in the past for example when Tolasaa Tasfaaye removed Dr. Merera and took over Oromo National Congress. Later on Dr. Merera was forced to change the name of the party to Oromo Peoples Congress which later formed the current Oromo Federalist Congress when it merged with Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement. Same happened to Coalition for Unity and Democracy which was given to Ayele Chamiso. These individuals were easily lured by financial prizes in exchange for their destructive role and absolute loyalty to the ruling party. Im afraid Andinet and AEUP have the same fate. We heard naive and vulnerable individuals have splinted from the parties and declared themselves the legitimate leadership and guardians of their parties. It is said TPLF is paying them millions and from the past experience, we know it does not make any difference. Tolasaa Tasfaaye was awarded about 1.2 million birr when he divided ONC but now he is on 2500 birr monthly salary while his business almost bankrupt.
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 10:53:38 +0000