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As the week began, I was eager with anticipation,
hoping to find out who was going to be the next
leader of this nation. Partly out of obligation, and
partly from curiosity, I sat waiting eagerly, hoping
to hear something extraordinary at the joint opening
session of the House of People's Representatives and
the Council of the Federation.
The first session was quite dull, save for the fact
that ETV did not realise the microphone
sitting in front of the President's seat was picking
up all the sound.
While the traditionally grabbed members of
Parliament had to stand and wait patiently for the
man of the hour to get to his seat, those watching
the proceedings via the miracle that is television
got the chance to get some background sound to go
with it. There was, of course, the President panting
to get to that light at the end of the tunnel, which
in this case was the read velvet seat with
ornamental gold trimming. As though that were not
enough, Speaker of the House Teshome Toga was
encouraging him to catch his breath and take it
easy.
The humour, while watching all this go on, lay in
the simple truth that this aging, debilitating and
not quite fit to hold office senior citizen
President would no longer have to be called
thereafter the following day when there would be
elections for a new figurehead.
As mind numbingly lifeless as the speech that was
given by the head of state might have been, we at
least had a first glimpse of where the priorities of
this government are headed for the next year.
Funnily enough, his speechwriters were confident
that every single piece of legislation that was
going to be put before the House this year was going
to be passed.
When the speech ended and we were told to please
catch the next episode the following day, I thought
for sure there was going to be something really
dramatic to happen. I knew the guy was nominated, as
was Beyene Petros, although I am curious to know if
the person who nominated him has read the
Constitution, which clearly states that the
president cannot be a member of a political party.
The kid in me was hoping for some magic trick and a
rabbit to be pulled out of a hat.
But when the next day rolled around and Girma
Woldegiorgis was once again the president of this
country and very happy to retain his position at
that, I was fuming. I am appalled that such a man
could be the choice of the government to fill that
position; though I understand that it would be bad
politics on the part of the EPRDF to nominate a
person that would potentially go against their
political agenda and use the office to actually do
something with it.
But the guy cannot even walk for more than 10m
without panting like he has just run the marathon.
You can barely make out his words when he speaks,
and heaven forbid that he has to do it standing up.
But someone mentioned to me an interesting point
about him being re-elected as head honcho. He is the
perfect manifestation of the Revolutionary Democrats
idea of this country. Ethiopia to them is old and
archaic, a nation that is at the verge of death and
implosion. They also must see themselves as the
saviours as well, the people that are going to be
the ones to bring this old and tired nation into the
21st century.
I have argued in favour of this government on more
than one occasion. There are decisions of its that I
support, although there are just as many that make
me want to put my hair in an afro and start a
revolution. But the re-election of Girma to head
this nation, no matter how symbolic that office may
be, is something that is beyond forgiveness and I as
a citizen of this nation have taken it as an insult.
I am disappointed and appalled that the government
would think so lowly of the nation that they are
leading that they would not even put their best foot
forward. At least, Negassu was coherent and
intelligent; Prime Minister Meles Zenawi may have
his flaws, but you can send him anywhere and he is
always sharp as a tack, on point and informed.
Do we not as a people deserve that much in our
leaders? Can you imagine what sort of an impression
he gives to foreign ambassadors and heads of state
that come to visit for the first time? Is that how
the nation wants to be perceived?
This has been adding insult to injury. There is no
excuse and no possible forgiveness for the
government making us live through another six years
of blushing because the clips on TV of the President
are so humiliating.
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