TIME to change From a FRONT To a PARTY

Reporter is correct in one aspect. The primary enemy of EPRDF is EPRDF. At a time when it is getting ready to have its general meeting it is wise to remind EPRDF that for its “ renewal” message to have lasting effect it has to show real and quantified change on itself. True it could argue that the changes brought about the last 3 years, that resulted in unprecedented election 2005, is the result of the last “renewal”, but it should be admitted that “Kinijit” has brought the real awakening of EPRDF and its supporters.
While EPRDF as government set the stage for election 2005, EPRDF as organization did not make the necessary changes to equippe itself for election 2005. The irony is similar to the struggle in the United States to change the Senate to make it accountable to the people instead of being a corrupt institution accountable to the each State's big men of the time. Forces that fought for direct election of the respective senators were dismayed to see forces that were against such ideas take office because the former did not prepare themselves to be elected by the people. While the opposition in the United States where forgiving and those who fought for years to bring about a direct election of Senators had a second chance to correct their mistake and campaign, the Opposition in Ethiopia would not have given EPRDF the chance of being a loyal opposition. They were deadset to eliminate EPRDF and the system it setup using the election to settle old scores. EPRDF with all it flaws is “Lucky” to win 2005 election.

But listening to the interview of Kuma Demesksa and his view of his position in EPRDF makes one wonder if this FRONT is ever going to get rid of its struggle era mentality and change itself to a force that knows the demands of multi-party era.

1. It is time for EPRDF to change from a Front to a party.
EPRDF is as strong as its weakest link. Ethnic based parities are not an end in themselves; only as a defensive mechanism will an ethnic group organized itself against “oppression” as a group. At a time where each member organization is carbon copy of each other, where people have the state and local government to address their problem, where each vote counts and the need to include people who don’t like ethnic affiliation, where “affiliates” can be part of organization, the FRONT have outlived its usefulness. IT IS TIME to USHER change from a FRONT to a PARTY. EPRDF should end the theoretical forecasting of time where different organization will be hammered into few parties and move on the ground that show ethnic parties are not an end in themselves
EPRDF can no more give exscuse that its opaque nature is beneficial to party discipline. The very reason the SPLIT in TPLF took roots and resulted in the resurgence of opposition is because of lack of transparency in the organization for people to know who does what except to those who were insiders. The effort to inject “young blood” can bring benefit only if mechanism were set in place where changes not only comes from top down but also form “down up.” EPRDF should also save the country from another disruption by abrupt changes where the old is denounced. The car or the driver has a problem if there is always danger every time the car turns a corner. The transition should be smooth and expected. It should not discard its members like the boxers of Animal Farm. Their departure should be in good terms, they should be of use to the party and the country and not destructive to their legacy, their future and the country after leaving the party.

2. IT is Time for “Primary Elections”. EPRDF can not afford to give the opposition a vetto power to decide on legitimacy of the democratization process. The time for selection of a candidate and putting it for “gimgema” for the people should be history. People should see candidates – party people – to have life of their own not zombies that do the will of the party. People should see candidates with their own dreams, vision and what it means to be revolutionary democrat and the changes it brings in themselves and their family. Primary election gives life to the democratic atmosphere, where it will not be hostage to validation of the “opposition. Primary election makes the candidates accountable to their action where they will be tuned to people's issues. It gets rid of EPRDF's self-defeating actions such as putting party loyalist again and again as candidates.
3. Supporters of EPRDF are not accountable and should not see themselves accountable to “democratic Centralism.” 2005 is an awakening where one can’t afford to leave things to the organization. EPRDF exhausted its own supporters and forced them to the side line only to see “backward looking” forces come with vengeance. One can not afford to say “EPRDF Sirah Yawtah.” It is time for interest groups, and advocacy group make themselves heard and strengthen their position to curve a party that serve their interest.
EPRDF should encourage such Endeavour. Some people were heard to have said that Aigaforum is their work Product. The disappointment is not that people want to fatten their portfolio with false credential, or that volunteers at AigaForum want credit for their money and time spent, rather the disappointment is that PARTY people did not get the value of the coalition of independent interest groups, their relation to them, as opposed to party loyalist who think their only duty is not to have their own view but keep the status quo.

EPRDF has the choice of changing to a dynamic party or be defeated come 1010 by forward looking opposition that smart from 2005 election. The time to show it has changed is NOW and not 2009.