As I was in Ethiopia during
the May 2005 election, I was one of the many hopefuls that thought democracy;
tolerance and the rule of law were about to prevail in my home country. I was
one of those very hopeful folks, who thought change was coming and Ethiopia was
changing for the better. My experience
and learning in different parts of the country during the pre-election era in
2005 gave me hopes. The pre-election era was interesting, reasonably
democratic, of course with some tolerable exceptions. As I had the opportunity
to travel around the country in those days, I was able to talk to many people
about the changes, hopes and the long road to democracy. That period was one of
the most interesting in Ethiopia’s General Election history.
Post-Election Ethiopia was totally
different. Killings, beatings, arbitrary detentions, all sort of miseries. The
determination of the tyrannical regime to cling to power at any cost diverted
the road to democracy and triggered the June 2005 protests that cost the lives
of many innocent Ethiopians. The same stubbornness by the then regime resulted
in the October/November 2005 massacre. In addition to the massacres, thousands were jailed, many people
were forced to leave their homes and many others went on exile.
Ever since, all the
elections were fake, undemocratic and questionable. It was all about how many
percent of the vote the ruling party (EPRDF) would get, 98%, 99% or 100%. Totally
shambolic.
Election 2020
As Ethiopia goes to polls in
August 2020, there is a lot to expect. One thing for sure there will be winners
and losers and it all depends on how we react to the wins and losses. If we
ever think, it is now or never, then we have already lost the argument before
even going to the polls. There could be disappointments when we are not able to
mange our expectations. If the election is free and fair, that is a big deal on
its own. That matters equally as the results. But if we are determined to see only
the results that we want to see and anything else is unacceptable, then we have
a problem. We have to remember election is not an end by itself and our wins or
losses at an election wouldn’t mean the triumph or shortcoming of democracy. We
need to hang on and work to change the course towards a stronger and more informed
participation and strengthen the democratic process so that democratic elections
become habits and that the next generation takes those democratic elections and
principles for granted.
Hopes and fears
Managing expectation – it
is more than important to manage expectations. Both prospective candidates, their
parties, supporters and the wider electorates need to manage their expectations.
They should at times be ready for disappointments, but ready to deal with it
with grace, accept the results, move on and come back in the future, if they
wish so. Hence vital to be ready for everything and avoid unwanted and unintended
consequences.
I have hopes that all parties
and candidates will be able to manage their expectations and act responsibly. I
also have fears that some may not be able to contain their angers because of
the challenges of managing their egos. Hence vital to know that going into
election is part of a democratic journey, not an end by itself.
The role of Media -
The media, be it video, voice, print, online or offline, they all have roles to
play. Social media like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have big impact and
significant roles to play. Hence vital to work on media accountability and
professionalism in the run up to the general election and beyond. There should be
credible sources of information that can avail timely information to avoid misinformation,
disinformation and fake news. Facts and reliable data need to be available on
time. Credible fact checkers need to be supported. People have to ask for the
sources of information and check their credibility. There will be lots of opinion
pieces and analyses based on individual perceptions and views. Hence, we need
to cultivate the habit of asking for the sources of information every now and
then and differentiate between news and opinions.
It takes us all to see the 2020
Ethiopian General Election succeed and exceed expectations of the usual and
unusual suspects. Remember we all have stakes and cannot be silent on this
important and momentous moment. Let us build democratic culture together and be
voices of reasons.
