Ethiopian Journal

By N. Germame

Campaigning for May 2010 elections has started in earnest.

The political parties have started to present their political agendas through the media, though some of them still are sticking to the old ways of mad-slugging the ruling party. The Code of Conduct signed by more than 60 political parties and has been promulgated as law by the House of Representatives is expected to play a positive role in preventing the repeat of the destructive incidents of 2005. Yet, “Medrek” members seem to use their refusal to participate in the discussion and signing of the Code of Conduct as an excuse not to abide by the new law. This situation does not seem to auger well for a peaceful, free and fair election which everybody is working for, except the Medrek leadership.

If one looks into the arguments of Dr. Merera Gudina during the televised discussion last week, I am sure many will question his sincerity and coherence in presenting his party’s program and legitimate ideas against the incumbent EPRDF. One of his accusations on the EPRDF is that its Revolutionary Democracy is a confused ideology which is no different from the Soviet style Socialism. Dr. Merera does not want to acknowledge the difference between the two approaches even if he is currently living in Ethiopia. My point here is that what Revolutionary Democracy EPRDF style is clearly achieving in terms of tangible results in the democratization process such as building the necessary democratic institutions, in economic development, in changing the lives of millions of Ethiopian farmers who have started to be investors in their own right are clearly visible to everybody except to Medrek leadership. Ethiopia’s significant roles at the regional, continental and international levels are also part and parcel of EPRDF’s foreign relations policy. A simple demonstration of Ethiopia’s enhanced role in Africa is the various responsibilities being given to Ethiopia’s leadership, particularly to its Prime Minister, in leading Africa towards economic integration and development through NEPAD, climate change representation, and at G-20 conferences.

On the other hand, it is very important to look into Dr. Merera’s past to validate his condemnation of socialism and his claim to be the champion of liberal democracy in his entire verbal polemics as a political leader. During the Dergue era, he served as one of the key cadres to defend “Dergue style socialism” with his life while he was a member of ‘MESON’ (All Ethiopia Socialist Movement) which was led by the late Haile Fida. The people of Ambo are witnesses to all his misdeeds for which the Dergue Junta had to put him in prison for a number of years. Even while in prison, Dr. Merera refused to contribute anything to the social and educational activities of his prison mates. He never participated in educating the then unfortunate young prisoners who were enrolled from ‘Meserete Timhert’ (basic literacy program) to high school and junior college education provided in the Addis Ababa Prison (Kerchele). Instead, he preferred to run a Tea Shop in front of his prison cell in ‘Ketero Killil’ and made money or slept in his prison mattress during his years of prison time. He could not even agree and participate with his political comrades who were MESON members and had their separate “Doro Bet” agricultural school as it used to be called then. This is the kind of anti-social behavior exhibited by Dr. Merera in his early political initiation. After his release, he joined the Addis Ababa University and had to join voluntarily the University Students Youth Association, a political arm of the Dergue within the university, only to get the job of a Graduate Assistant with the recommendation of the Youth Association but not due to his academic achievements upon his graduation. Even as a staff member of the Addis Ababa University, Dr. Merera was known for his ventures in selling his house before completion which he received as a member of a Staff Housing Association but never participated in the University Teachers Association which waged various shades of political activities as pro and against the Dergue system.

It is important to mention here that Dr. Merera’s political activities started after the current Revolutionary Democrats (EPRDF) came to power and constitutionally guaranteed everyone’s peaceful political participation in any way and form. With this background, I do not think Dr. Merera has the moral right to condemn socialist ideas in any form. His life is full of survival strategies under various circumstances but devoid of any social responsibility in any way. Even today, being a political science lecturer, he complains that the elected government in place controls all ministerial functions like the defense, finance, trade and industry, etc. Only God knows what he teaches his students on the mandate of the Federal Government as enshrined in the Constitution. It is unfortunate that this is the kind of political opposition Ethiopia is destined to entertain today. That is why the EPRDF is clearly and convincingly arguing that none of the current opposition parties have the basic minimum to shoulder the responsibility of leading 80 million Ethiopians in their current condition. That is why political leaders need to prove with their past and present deeds and character, their integrity and political capacity if they are aspiring to take the leadership role in Ethiopia.

End.