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By Kebour Ghenna
July 4, 1818
Let's change the ethnic discourse a bit and ask who Dr. Abye Ahmed or the late Meles Zenawi is considered a liberal or a progressive?
For the moment, let us define a "liberal" (in a common speech) as a capitalist, who recognizes the defects of capitalism and is determined to remedy it by taxation; and a "progressive" would be one who supports change and expects the state to enforce it; a progressive will willingly suppress the individual's freedom in the name of progress.
There may be no consensus on these terms, but that's fine. These days, I do not mind discussing such concepts. At least you can change your position to be liberal to be progressive, or vice versa. Obviously, ethnic identity is not as fluid as changing from a political point of view.
I know that I paint a very complex problem with a single brush, but I think this comparison can shed some light on where we come from and where we are [traduction]
Consider … [19659002] • On Nationalism
Dr. Abye – Just like President Trump, he puts Ethiopia first. We saw him traveling from one part of the country to the other, advocating for the country's unity.
Ato Meles – Was all about Tigray. He used the fear of the Oromos and Amharas who met to give shape to his vision of Tigray nationalism
• On Political Prisoners
Ato Meles – Hardly had a problem throwing his opponents into prison.
Abye – Everything is to release "political prisoners" wherever they are, including those who are accused of committing more serious crimes.
• On the Economics
Dr. Abye – Likes more competition, new ideas, new entrepreneurs (in the hope of rejecting new privileges for the ruling elite and its apparatchiks and apologists); plans to sell popular public badets, such as Ethiopian Airlines, Ethio Telecom, Railway, etc. The bank and insurance will be next. Less public money for condominiums, light rail or electricity.
Ato Meles – Maintained the government as a powerful agent to improve the lives of citizens, sometimes used coercion to accomplish great things, ie invest in infrastructure, increase housing, promote price regulations etc.
• On Corruption
Dr. Abye – Said zero tolerance, but sees no problem in releasing imprisoned corrupt officials
Ato Meles – Said zero tolerance, but chose and chose which corrupt official to go to jail.
• On Political Parties
Ato Meles – Promoted a very close group of individuals removed from the insurgent Tigray movement to safeguard the TPLF's revolutionary ideology. For Meles, the electoral defeat was never envisaged.
Abye – seems to adopt a radical vision that opens the door to all parties to play their role in the political process, without threshold
• On Foreign Affairs
Ato Meles – Was clever, disciplined and, overall , reasonably successful in tackling the immediate security problems of the nation.
Abye – Friendly with Egypt and neighboring countries. He will not oppose the US vote at the UN
• On Personalities
Dr. Abye – The more people see it, the more they like it.
Ato Meles – To a certain degree, he is more private and vain.
Clearly, Meles' vision has lost the consent of the governed. Instead, Dr. Abye, charismatic and sociable, is roaring. His fundamental problem is that it does not work according to the established practices of his party. For the first time, the process of reform, or rather transformation of the party, will not be dictated by an all-powerful figure of the TPLF, but by Dr. Abye and his team.
The way to go will not be a walk in the park. Dr. Abye faces empty public finances, bureaucratic red tape, declining growth and purchasing power, and a fragmented but still powerful opposition within his EPRDF. He (Dr. Abye) is an honest and good man. He miraculously pulled the country out of the abyss, but its immense popularity can dissipate if it fails to advance vital economic and social reforms. Politics is shaped by expectation, and many Ethiopians are expecting more from Dr. Abye. Can he make Ethiopia even better, as he hinted in his opening remarks after the victory?
Kebour Ghenna was President of the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and is currently Executive Director of the Africa Initiative . He shared this article on his Facebook page
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