Abiy Ahmed gained power in Ethiopia with the help of young people – four years later he’s silencing them
When Abiy Ahmed took power as Ethiopia’s prime minister in April 2018, he was the youngest head of government in Africa.
At 42, he represented a stark contrast to many ageing African leaders who had been in position for decades. These leaders often stake their claim to power by referring to their victories in revolutionary wars many decades back.
Before Abiy’s entry, Ethiopia had been governed by the same party for 27 years – the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front. This was a coalition of parties established by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front in 1991. The party claimed legitimacy by pointing to its victory in a civil war in 1991.
It took mass protests from the youth – and an elite split within the government – to overthrow this regime.
After rising to power, Abiy replaced the old ruling party with the Prosperity Party. This, along with his relative youthfulness, was seen as a break with the past.
The hope was that this change would bring the political and economic inclusion of young people in Ethiopia. This category includes those aged 15 to 29, who make up 28% of Ethiopia’s population of 122 million.
This group at the time experienced high unemployment levels and political marginalisation. Little has changed since then.
https://theconversation.com/abiy-ahmed- ... hem-195601
