Ever since EPRDF nominated Abiy as the chairman and PM of Ethiopia, Ethiopian politics has gone from bad to worst. The regions that made up Federal Ethiopia have been mired in turmoil. The Somali region has lost its former strong man, he is in jail! The Amhara regional government has lost not one but two of its leaders Dr. Ambachew was killed and Gedu was demoted. Even the Oromo region has lost one of its so-called reformer leaders! And you all know what has happened to Debub Region! The only regions in Ethiopia that have kept the peace are Tigrai and Afar. That is what we think but what do you think about Tigrai?

What do you think about Tigrai political leadership? Where did Tigrai excel and where did it fail to improve?

Do you think Tigrai has improved or excelled in improving a)Security of the region? b)The Economy? c) the Democratic space and d)Governance?

Which area do you think it has gone from bad to worse and needs to improve.

What do you think about the media development of the Tigrai? Did opening DW and Tigrai TV Amharic programs help?

Have your say and make sure to make your points in a clear and precise manner so it is taken seriously.

The Death of a National Hero

It is with a shocking sense of sadness that I heard the untimely death of the architect of the Great Renaissance Dam a few minutes ago. Next, to the untimely death of Meles Zenawi, I consider the death of Simegnew as a national tragedy.

Simegnew was the renaissance dam. He was the personification of it. It is unfair that he died without ushering us the realization of Ethiopia’s project.

Words can’t express the sense of sadness that I am expressing now. Heartbroken and angry at death itself this is all I can say for now. It has always been my wish to go and visit the dam site and talk to this good man who gave all he had to the realization of this huge project. Unfortunately, that will not happen now.

Ethiopia owes him respect and a day of national mourning.

Beqele Berhanu

Now that Ethiopia has seen a couple of peaceful power transition at the top what do you think about the democratic process and the future of Ethiopia holds? Are you thinking Ethiopia is on the wrong path to becoming a democratic country or the right path?

Do you have hope PM Abiy will succeed as much as PM Meles did or even better in transforming Ethiopia? Or, are you of the opinion PM Abiy will be bogged down in the tribulation of the democratic process unable to fend the headwinds as his predecessor Hailemariam Desalgn did?

Have your say and share your thoughts about PM Abiy and the future of EPRDF!

When TPLF leaders split in the early 2000 many thought that would be the last schism the organization will face because the late PM Meles was able to garner enough support from remaining TPLF leaders as well as other EPRDF member organization! Also because, the playing field was set with a clear understanding where the country should go as far as priorities and policy matters. We have “no better enemy other than poverty” was coined and the much talked about developmental state model became the guiding principle for the remarkable economic achievement we see today.

With the sudden death of Meles EPRDF has been struggling to find a strong footing be it in economic success or political cohesion across the country. For the average person it looks Meles was everything! Otherwise why is everything falling apart in EPRDF world?

We know for sure in the past TPLF has many able leaders as well as members! But where are they now? The latest news coming from TPLF conference though encouraging is very troubling! We are told almost all have realized things are not okay! However when it comes to the details what we are hearing is troubling. Leaders are finger pointing at each other missing the big picture. Our people are not interested on individuals past deeds or current performance! Those who have done wrong should be reprimanded or sued in the court of law! Let us be honest both or all sides are guilty when it comes to good governance issue! The public is expecting a genuine reform and reorganization where the issue with good governance and development will be resolved. The public is expecting able learned men and women to come to the front! Above all the public is expecting unity of purpose and clear road map.The public is not expecting the down fall of one Tegadalay over the other. That was the problem of the past. Do not repeat it!! That is what we think but what about you?

Have Your say and share your concern on what TPLF should be and become! What is your understanding of what is weakening the country right now?

Ethiopia: On Corruption and Rent Seeking

(Aigaforum) Aug 14, 2017

Corruption is perpetuated by those in power. Rent Seeking on the other hand is perpetuated by everyone else in the community. Both are nemesis to development and a country’s political and economic health. Ethiopia like any other developing country is facing both nemesis at the moment. From time to time the government has tried to tame the rampant corruption and rent seeking behavior of its officials and citizens. Lately,the government has unleashed a deep campaign to weed out corrupt officials, contractors and traders. But, why is corruption rampant and why is rent seeking behavior widely spread in Ethiopia?

Although, the government has been trying to stop corruption and rent seeking using the legal tools available, the end result has been dismal so far! It seems more and more officials are becoming prone to be corrupted! All campaigns against corruption and rent seeking by the EPRDF government have ended up with failure. Thus, why the campaign is still going 26 years in to EPRDF government!

Many people we talked from the construction industry told us the reason such campaigns fall short are too many. However, the most spoken reason is the many open loopholes in the law that governs the construction industry. Similar is true with import and export trade industry. Basically, many we spoke told us the government must review its own rules and regulations that are being used as an excuse by its own officials! Then and only then the fight against corruption will succeed.

In the case of the construction industry, the government needs to revisit the laws governing the industry and eliminate the loopholes. Fix the law that allows contractors and government officials to bypass existing laws in order to enrich themselves. Existing laws and policies that apply to big projects must somehow be translated in to small projects without creating a burden to small contractors. A person knowledgeable with the industry told us there is a significant difference between laws that govern big projects and medium to small projects. In most cases it is such difference that is causing officials and contractors to be corrupted! Otherwise said the person we talked, the current campaign will also fail to achieve its intended goal.

We suspect the government must be in pain to be jailing so many people right now! It cannot be pleased to see such rampant corruption today after what it had done in the name of Tehadeso for the past 15 years! Unless there is serious loophole in the law there is no way so many Ethiopians would be involved in such unethical and sinful act.

It is worth to investigate why people break and exploit the law! Throwing people to jail alone will not solve the problem.

In short the best tool the government had to stamp out corruption and rent seeking is to strengthen the laws that govern government contracts and to close loopholes that have become tools for cheating officials and rent seeking contractors.

That is what we think but what about you? Have Your Say.

The draft proclamation here below…
(draft proclamation)

is expected to be discussed by the federal government soon. Even though the Ethiopian constitution recognizes the special relationship of Oromia regional and Addis Ababa City the current draft is the only document that explicitly tries to define what that relationship should be. The draft(credit to Horn Affairs) in its current draft form has too many eye catching clauses that will test the federal system! The draft as is will clearly question the autonomy of the Addis Ababa regional government. This will be the time for constitutional scholars and lawyers to go through this draft and inform the public.We also hope this draft will not be another rallying point for the extremists to agitate the public if and when this draft become law in what ever form! What do you think about this draft? Is it good for democracy? Is it good for unity? Have you say!

PM Hailemariam said his government is nearly finished a study on how to deal with the one man government in Eritrea. As you all know ever since the last war ended the two government were following a no war no peace policy to guide their relationships. Despite the no war no peace policy the one man government in Eritrea has been trying to topple the Ethiopian government with a proxy war. However, the Ethiopian government has been trying to lure the Eritrean government to a sit-down discussion to solve all remaining issues between the two governments all to no avail! Many including the government of PM Hailemariam thinks now is the time to update the policy of no war no peace. The question is what the policy would look like? Will the new policy bring lasting change? If there is a lasting solution to the issues of Ethio-Eritrea what should the policy include or be based on? Here are few suggestions but you are welcome to add to the list and argue your case.
1) The new policy should be based on people to people relationship instead of addressing govt to govt relationship. There by hoping the Eritrean people will become the partners for peace in the region.
2) Work diplomatically to remove the one man government using international pressure.
3) Accept with no buts and ifs the Algeria’s Agreement and see if the one man government can become a partner for peace.
4) Help actively Eritrean oppositions groups including military help to remove the government and empower Eritreans to build a democratic Eritrea
5) Remove the one man government by force and ask Eritreans if they really want independence of some kind of federation with Ethiopia.

Have your say and as always make sure your input is taken seriously by the powers be!

The long awaited deep tehadeso /renewal/ is almost coming to an end, at least, the first phase of it. EPRDF member organizations have gone through a long renewal process. As a governing party in their respected Kilil/region/ the parties have uniformly appointed professionals and academicians to head their regional govt ministries.

The TPLF as a governing party in Tigrai region is the latest to appoint such professionals. To the surprise of many President Abay has nominated many new cabinet heads from the academia. His new cabinet now has now more PHD holders who were not part of the force that wedged the armed struggle.
Looking back through history, down the road, this could be a watershed moment where the civilians and professional took the mantle of power from TPLF the fighting force!

There are those who argue it is wrong for EPRDF to focus on PHD holders to carry on the democratization process and the arduous institutional building process. They argue the old timers as well as veteran EPRDF leaders are equally important to the democratization process. They say running efficient and progressive government does not require a PHD nor a person with no armed struggle experience.

What is your take of the new cabinet appointees and the over all deep tehadeso process so far? Have your say and as always be respectful and considerate with you comments.

As you all know EPRDF passed a resolution to weed-out corruption and the ills of its administration. Amhara, Oromia and Tigrai were at the forefront in carrying out the organization’s wish. The Amhara government, we are told, has done an extensive grass root campaign in the name of good governance. It has been a while since these meetings were concluded. Since then we have heard little of the effects of such meetings. However since then we have heard of the massacre around Gondar because of the Kemant issue. Yes it was a massacre! The Ethiopian Human Right Organization has issued a detail report where close to a hundred people were killed. And there are reports of targeted attack against Tigreans in the Shinfa area, Metema Woreda.

We are hearing now the regional government and the Ethiopian parliament are looking in to what went wrong! We hope justice will be served. Realizing that ANDM, the governing party in the region, is deep in to its transformation phase where most of the leaders are new with no experience from the struggle years of leading a revolution, do you think the new leaders are capable of leading the region to become one of the pillars for democratic Ethiopia? Are the new leaders capable to lead the region to become an economic power house? Can they withstand the many extremist propaganda war targeted at them and the population and remain true to the EPRDF cause? Friends tell us of all the regions the Amhara regional political leaders have mastered the art of governing. We were inclined to agree given what other regions in Ethiopia were facing as far as good governance issues…but what to make about the recent Ethiopian Human Right Organization Report? Have your say!

This discussion is part of the ongoing engagement on good governance which Aigaforum conducted similar discussion on Tigrai region previously (http://aigaforum.com/blog/2016/04/20/the-good-governance-campaign-in-ethiopia-tigrai-case/).

Feel free to have your say but be honest and productive with your time – no innuendos pls!