Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took office vowing sweeping reforms that earned him a Nobel Peace Prize, before becoming mired in a gruesome internal conflict that has drawn global outrage.
Now, as he prepares for a new term following a landslide win in a national election, he finds the surge of hope that accompanied his initial appointment three years ago significantly diminished.
Election officials announced on Saturday that Abiy's Prosperity Party had secured an overwhelming majority in last month's poll, giving him the popular mandate he has long coveted.
Even as he confronts persistent insecurity that has delayed voting in some areas, Abiy appears unbowed.
In an April speech he told supporters, in his trademark folksy language, that while Ethiopia might seem riven by crises, the real problem was one of perception.
He compared the country's experience to that of a village child disoriented by riding in a car for the first time.
"When the car moves forward, the buildings and trees go backward and we become confused," he said.
Continue reading