Ethiopia’s political transition post-Meles (1991-2012) has been marked by wasted opportunities, deteriorating governance, and unprecedented violence. However, this think piece, inspired by Semhal Zenawi’s interview, fails to critique her father’s political missteps that cost #Tigray.
Thread 🧵👇
Thread 🧵👇
Reposted from
Omna Tigray
In this op-ed & think piece, Donek, explores #Ethiopia's institutional & economic shifts since the govt of Meles Zenawi. Read below 👇🏾
omnatigray.org/why-ethiopia...
omnatigray.org/why-ethiopia...
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Under Meles, Ethiopia was led by a ruthless pragmatist; let’s be honest. His administration violated human rights and suppressed dissent, but it also pursued ambitious economic goals. The “Lion Economy” narrative sought to transform Ethiopia into a developmental state.
Meles’s authoritarian developmental state aimed to uplift millions from abject poverty using interventionist state policies. The government invested heavily in infrastructure, education, and healthcare, aiming for long-term economic growth despite its autocratic nature.
However, Meles’s model amplified ethnic grievances and fueled anti-Tigrayan rhetoric. The prevailing narrative portrayed “minority Tigrayans” as consolidating power at the expense of majority groups, leaving behind a fragile political foundation vulnerable to exploitation after his death.
Though the “Developmental State” project aimed to transform Ethiopia into a “Middle-Income Country by 2025,” Meles’s vision came at a cost for ordinary Tigrayans, who only bore the brunt of resentment from non-Tigrayans chanting in urban streets, “we bleed while they build Tigray.”
After Meles’s death in 2012, Hailemariam Desalegn took over—a placeholder leader with no clear vision. His rule marked a period of stagnation, as internal EPRDF factions (TPLF, OPDO, ANDM and SEPDM) vied for power. This was a wasted opportunity to reform and heal Ethiopia’s divisions.
Hailemariam’s indecision and weakness created fertile ground for unrest. The Oromo and Amhara protests intensified, demanding justice, inclusion, and change. The EPRDF’s failure to respond meaningfully led to a crisis of legitimacy by 2018. He quietly encouraged blaming the TPLF for everything.
https://www.ethiopia-insight.com/2024/09/16/tigrays-squabbling-leaders-should-honor-meles-legacy/