Restoring the Power and Choice of the Opposition in Ethiopian Politics!?

Usually opposition parties in Ethiopia think and believe EPRDF dwarfs them and keep them at bay despite their struggle to help shape Ethiopian politics. I believe this view is wrong plus it hurts the opposition than it hurts the incumbent. They just stopped believing in themselves and give the power away to the ruling EPRDF. May be it is to cause criticism on the ruling party but it rather make them lame and defeated than it does to hurt the interest of the ruling party.

Our opposition parties first of all have a duty to choose and know where they want to take this country and how they are going to go about it. Above all they have to believe it is with in their reach to be able to lead this great nation. But now is not the good old days and they can't act like it was before.

The most powerful weapon the opposition appear to armour is stating the weaknesses of the ruling party. One thing they have no debate among themselves while they do have mammoth differences. Second they seem to believe their strength is in the weakness of the ruling party. This shows they gave up to believe in their power to produce compelling programs that would take the nation to better heights. 

Again they seem to quit to believe in their power to mobilize the public around the agendas they set. Had they not quit to believe, they would have not blamed their failures on the ruling EPRDF. It is the worst of weakness and foolish to expect one's opponent to help to prop up. I am delusional to think politics doesn't have  foul plays but one never one's opponent to come and propel them in a way they become competitive political parties. 

I happen to believe most politicians in the opposition camp have a homework to finish to learn  to sail the turbulent political waters. They talk about individual rights but they don't seem to understand what that individual freedom can make in terms of change if it is properly channeled and led by example.  An individual can be inspired with compelling political agendas and programs that are convincingly plotted. 

What I see  the opposition are not the author of their fate and not architects of their organization. That is why they now and then claim they would win the elections had there been this and that. They don't seem to perceive that it is up to them to try and make sure all those necessary things are in place for them to become winners. 

Often they don't  have confidence even among their members. They are busy making internal political wranglings and they come in unison to fix blame on EPRDF. They are not even ready to abide by majority vote with in their party and they don't have the discipline to respect the decisions the majority in particular meeting approved. That is why they often fight out on papers and give differing and divisive signals. It is simple a group that doesn't have the discipline to stand united on internal matters has no chance to survive the weight external opponent causes. 

It takes character to maintain such a discipline that respects decisions and become one and the same when sharing the stories to outsiders and media to hammer the same issue with rock solid integrity. What looks easy for them is become divisive in their internal politics let alone to hammer home a message against a formidable opponent like EPRDF with vast experience and with huge registered members base.

That is why they have to reclaim the power they have given to EPRDF when it comes to their strength and wisdom of struggle. They have to know that they are the author of their fate despite whatsoever. Bluntly that is what history teaches us. The winners of the past are not those who don't face challenges but those who face it head-on with rock-solid-character and unwavering persistence.  

The Gandhis and the Mandelas are not with out tremendous challenge to bring such a far fetched example. I mean the struggles of Gandhi and Mandela were completely different. But the character all great leaders share are almost the same and the opposition have to learn those great character on top of the competence they show.

Once they believe they are the authors of their fate, they have to show us the design with which they want to build Ethiopia into as vivid as possible. They usually oppose from the war on terror to the dam on Nile and I sometimes feel weird what they would support despite being opposition bar some civilized opposition who do so.

If they quit their bad habits, they can convince the public with their design and their ability to architect the development design of this great nation and can influence the public to see confidence in them that they have the right credentials to lead the nation. This would most probably indicate us the path to the future and the end they can achieve even before they begin it. That is how leaders can very much be followed.

They also have a duty to build support base and members who are equipped with the right character and competence to ensure strict management of their programs given they do have a chance to win in an election if they pay the dues to do so. Therefore, they have to train and recruit members with the promise to meet those expectations. And they can develop them to what they need them to be through continuous training. 

In terms of creating empowering internal politics they have to see at least these points: Becoming the author of their agendas, mobilizing the public around vivid design for change and build the capacity who can manage the programs they set.

In the article to follow this one I will try to show how they can influence the public and work creatively in the political sphere they believe they are allowed to run. I understand they claim to have programs and they claim to have strategy for struggle. Here I am calling for a complete shift of their political paradigm. 

When I come with the next article I try to further explain my position on this. Do comment it.// 

Naive Politics, delusional opposition

Politics, especially in a country like Ethiopia, has to be about helping the public put food on the table, roof over their head and warmth. It is not about the luxury of criticizing and considering  a load of criticism as a valuable contribution one can do for its beloved country.

Ethiopia has a long way to go to feed itself as it has over 3 million people who need emergency aid this year alone according to figures released recently by Ministry of Agriculture. It needs talent that could realize food security; helping this nation solve and enabling the public meet this challenge is a good thing to do. Able hands and minds that help manage these challenges are real servants. Bombarding the ruling party now and then plus driving our motivation just to deliver naive criticism is not the quality the opposition is supposed to display in a country like Ethiopia that requires its political actors to do what it takes to feed its people. No mere criticism can deliver the solutions this great nation seeks. No one is out there with a magic wand to give us the right solutions at once. Therefore, let not any political party brag like it can give this nation the remedy it needs were it steering the machine of the political leadership.

when it comes to political freedom and free expression of opinion, I personally believe our infant democracy has got a long way to go. Of course, those who seek the right to be respected need to duly deliver on the responsibilities and duties too. One who seeks its rights to be respected is duty bounded to respect the rights of others. That is why freedom is believed to have burdens, simply freedom is not free.

This means those who want to express their opinions need to make sure their opinions are relevant and with in the rule of law. one can't act as one wishes just for it is right and expects others to act per the law of the land. It is not about being just legal alone. One can remain legal while it becomes utterly irrelevant and useless. In our case, being relevant and making sure everything the politics does pull the nation out of abject poverty and set it in a path that leads to prosperity is profoundly fundamental . Using every means to reach at the helm of the top most political post is not the way. We can't afford every means as some can effectively be distractions that hurt real people with real and immediate needs.

The opposition is besieged in a trap of its own making - denying tangible developments happening and being denied by the overwhelming majority the chance to lead this great nation, Ethiopia. Any public can not believe those who deny it the things it sees with its own eyes. How could such parties be given the chance to govern while they are dishonest and irrelevant. 

Recognizing achievements of ones opponent is not a weakness, it is a show of strong character that depends on its merits than the failures of its opponent. No one party can become strong for it knows the failures of its opponents and for criticizing them. Being formidable opponent takes plausible programs and confidence of the public for leading the strategies one sets out.

Time for our opposition to do deep sole searching and make profound shift in paradigm and actions that can influence the public to review its views of the opposition. This would give the opposition chances to be taken as credible alternatives in the political landscape mired with denial and polarized views. 

Now is one such time for the opposition to renew to reinvent themselves in ways they can meet squarely the challenges this grate nation faces for so long now.//