Opposition Parties ought to prune themselves

By Amare

Mulugeta's call for the opposition to prune itself is a timely call worth repeating. I often wonder as to what drives the opposition to have the 'leftovers', Yes, the leftovers, in their midst as leaders. Knowing fully well their past misdeed not to mention their crime, why on earth do they want to install them as leaders? They and they only know the answer to this question.

Mulugeta did not condone the killing of 36 citizens. His theme in that article is directed primarily to exposing the hypocritical cries of the remnants of the past. I don't see any wrong in brining to light this truth. In so doing, he might have come across as if he is false sympathy for the terrible incident that befallen on Ethiopia in recent days.

 In spite of the screaming and the shouting we hear from the different political persuasions and their loyalist, one fact always remains true and unchangeable. That is this:  The majority of Ethiopians both at home and abroad want peace and peaceful transfer of power from one political group to another based solely on the verdict of the people on the ballot box. We all should contribute in whatever way we can to the coming to fruition of this long standing aspiration of the Ethiopian people. We must expose and object any group or group of people that is set to frustrate this aspiration.

In that spirit, many have been calling for the government to pledge and once and for all settle with itself to hold a fair and clean election with a motto ' �we are ready to win or lose in a clean election: no more intimidation, no more election marring�. Sadly, the government appears not to completely follow this noble path. The people both at home and abroad must continue demanding that they will not settle short of having a '�government of the people, by the people, for the people, and not a government of the people, by the ruling political class, for the selected few, which is what we have in Ethiopia. To that end they should continue to struggle peacefully however arduous the struggle might get.

The opposition also has a bigger responsibility to shoulder. Self examination I believe is good start. Do they want to replace EPRDF just in name? Or are they committed to advance the cause of freedom and democracy? If so, what does it say to their image to have remnants of the past regime in leadership position?  Make no mistake about it perception does matter. So, pruning itself of this taint would be an asset and not a liability to the opposition. Urging them to do so should be seen as a sage advice and not as a 'name calling' and a scare tactic.