Expecting Peace While Colonel Abiy Ahmed and the Potemkin Party Remain in Power is Pure Naivety

By Debessai Tsegai

Peace is not a miracle that descends from the sky. It is the product of leadership, stability, accountability, and a government that values the lives of its citizens. Ethiopia today has none of these. The journey the country is taking under the Potemkin Party regime is not one that leads toward peace or development, but one that drags the nation deeper into an abyss of conflict, hunger, and institutional decay. Since Abiy Ahmed took office, the volatile and unpredictable policies he has pursued have moved the country from one war to another, and from one famine to the next. To believe that peace will arrive while this regime remains in power is nothing short of pure naivety.

• First and most fundamental reason is the regime’s reliance on division and conflict as tools of political survival. Rather than building a national consensus that unites Ethiopia’s diverse communities, the ruling party has repeatedly used ethnic polarization as a strategy to maintain its grip on power. Analysts, activists, and citizens alike have pointed out that the government’s rhetoric and actions often pit one group against another, creating a climate of suspicion and hostility. This has fueled continuous cycles of violence, displacement, and revenge killings across the country. A government that thrives on division cannot be expected to deliver peace.
• Ethiopia is experiencing an economic collapse disguised under slogans of reform and development. The skyrocketing prices of food, fuel, and basic necessities have pushed millions into hunger. Rural communities face famine like conditions, while urban households struggle to survive inflation that erodes their income daily. The government’s budgetary priorities reveal the truth: more money is allocated to war, propaganda, and personal power than to feeding the population. This is not a temporary crisis, it is a structural failure. No country can achieve peace when its people are starving, and no government that neglects the basic needs of its citizens can claim to be building a stable future.
• The regime has shown contempt for genuine dialogue. While Abiy Ahmed frequently speaks of peace in speeches and public appearances, his actions tell a different story. Political opponents are met with force, not negotiation. Journalists are imprisoned, activists are silenced, and dissenting voices are labeled as threats to national security. In an environment where political problems are addressed through military solutions, peace becomes a distant dream. A government that equates disagreement with treason cannot create a peaceful society.
• The collapse of the rule of law has created a climate of fear and insecurity. Citizens cannot travel safely across regions. People are arrested without due process, and killings occur with impunity. Communities live under the constant threat of violence, whether from armed groups or state forces. When the law becomes a weapon of the powerful rather than a shield for the vulnerable, peace becomes impossible. A regime that does not value the lives of its citizens cannot be trusted to protect them.
• Ethiopia’s deteriorating relationships with neighboring countries have further destabilized the region. Instead of fostering cooperation and mutual respect, the government has engaged in confrontations and diplomatic disputes. This has weakened Ethiopia’s standing in the Horn of Africa and created additional security risks. Regional instability inevitably spills into domestic politics, fueling internal tensions and undermining national sovereignty. A country surrounded by conflict cannot expect internal peace.
• The horrific killings and mass displacements in Tigray, Amhara, Oromia, and other regions remain some of the darkest chapters in Ethiopia’s recent history. Reports from humanitarian organizations, journalists, and survivors describe atrocities that have left deep scars on the nation. These tragedies are not isolated incidents, they are part of a broader pattern in which the regime uses violence as a tool of governance. A government that views the blood of its citizens as a political instrument has no incentive to stop the cycle of killing. For such a regime, peace is not a goal but a threat to its authority.
• The government’s propaganda about development projects is far removed from the lived reality of ordinary Ethiopians. While shiny buildings rise in major cities, rural communities suffer from hunger, lack of medicine, and absence of basic infrastructure. The gap between the wealthy elite and the impoverished majority grows wider each year. This inequality fuels resentment and social instability. Development that benefits only a small circle of political allies is not development, it is a facade.
• The international community’s growing distrust of the regime has isolated Ethiopia on the global stage. Aid, loans, and investment have been reduced or suspended due to concerns about human rights violations, corruption, and lack of transparency. This isolation deepens the economic crisis and limits opportunities for recovery. A government that alienates its international partners cannot lead the country toward prosperity.
• Critically, Abiy’s flip-flop behavior has made him widely viewed as unreliable by observers and critics. His shifting positions, contradictory statements, and sudden policy reversals have created an environment of uncertainty. As many commentators have noted, it is difficult to make permanent or meaningful agreements with a leader whose stance changes from week to week. This unpredictability undermines trust both domestically and internationally. Peace requires consistency, reliability, and credibility qualities that critics argue are lacking in the current leadership.
• The regime’s centralization of power has weakened institutions that are essential for long term stability. Independent courts, regional administrations, civil society organizations, and the media have all been undermined or brought under political control. Without strong institutions, peace cannot be sustained. A country cannot rely on the whims of one leader or one party; it needs systems that protect rights, resolve disputes, and ensure accountability.
• The militarization of politics has become a defining feature of the current era. Armed groups, militias, and security forces play an outsized role in governance. Elections are overshadowed by intimidation, and political competition occurs in an environment shaped by fear rather than democratic participation. When politics becomes a battlefield, peace becomes unattainable.
• The humanitarian crisis unfolding across the country is a direct consequence of political decisions. Millions face food insecurity, displacement, and lack of access to healthcare. Humanitarian organizations struggle to operate due to bureaucratic restrictions and security risks. A government that fails to protect its people from hunger and disease cannot claim to be building peace.
• The youth of Ethiopia, who should be the backbone of the nation’s future, are instead trapped in cycles of unemployment, displacement, and hopelessness. Without opportunities, young people become vulnerable to recruitment by armed groups or forced migration. A peaceful society cannot be built on the despair of its youth.
• The diaspora community, once a source of investment and innovation, has become increasingly disillusioned. Many feel alienated by the government’s policies and concerned about the direction of the country. Diaspora engagement is essential for national development, but it cannot flourish under a regime that stifles freedom and transparency.

In conclusion, as long as Abiy Ahmed and the Poverty Party remain in power, Ethiopia cannot escape the destructive path it has entered. Peace, development, and prosperity require leadership that values human life, respects the rule of law, and prioritizes the well being of the people. Critics argue that the current regime, which rules through division, violence, and starvation, cannot deliver such a future. The public must recognize this reality and think seriously about the direction of their country. Peace will not come from speeches or slogans, it will come from change.