#Ethiopia is undeniably the New Horizon of Hope

Thank you, Dr. Abiy @PMEthiopia #PMOEthiopia

All years are not born equal. Last year, April 2018 to March 2019 was exceptionally remarkable. That was because of you, Mr. Prime Minister. For that, I would like to say thank you. The national media, both mainstream and social, are busy chronicling your gains. One could pick any of the critical economic and political indicators and gauge what you did against that. One could look at the steps you have taken to reform mobility of capital, reform the stalled banking sector, or the new education master plan (with all its limitations), or the move that you have been taking to finalize mega projects. The reform - that you have been making to restore the rule of law, including the appointment of the first ever female supreme court chief - is remarkable by any standards. We all have noted with admiration your courageous move to propose a female President, a female Defence Minister, and achieve 50% gender parity in your ministerial team.

I don’t belong to any political party or group. As a citizen and father of three, I would like to say thank you. Because of your and your colleague’s scarification, I now aspire for a better future for my kids in their own country. Ethiopia now indeed is the new horizon of hope! https://pmo.gov.et/

 ‘Memory is all we are …’ I don’t forget what I was feeling few days before your tenure began. Fear for myself, fear for my kids’ future, fear for my country’s fate - was the central theme that hunted me whenever I had any meaningful discussion with colleagues and friends. Fear was the thing that woke me in the middle of the night. Thank you for culling my worst nightmare.

The so-called social media activists might have forgotten glaring facts. There is no one single journalist in prison! No single politician is languishing in prison! None another than Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation, the mouthpiece of the previous regime, uncovered the heinous act of the then prison administration. All I can say is carry on.

#Ethiopia’s political landscape was dominated by ‘that generation’ for over forty years. I shall leave their legacy, of that generation, to the verdict of history. I, however, would like to thank you for breaking that agonizing chain.

Pundits are busy splitting hairs. As the saying goes, ??? ??? ?? ??? ???? ???? ??????? We could easily guess how far they could go if they were given a chance. They might have short memories; I don’t. I still revered the bold and daring statement you made when a dud Member of Parliament asked you if it was constitutional to release prisoners, you said ‘jailing and torturing, which government did, were not constitutional either.’ A statement that none of them were daring to make. A statement that was unthinkable even to tell one’s closest friend or write it one’s Facebook page. Sir carry on!

While finalizing my thank you note, I got a notification from one of my social media feeds. I watched your last statements #PMOEthiopia. Your humbleness and honesty stand tall; it is unprecedented. We all know the kind of country you inherited. Sir carry on!

Finally, I understand the road ahead won’t be a walk through a rose garden. Sir carry on the reforms you have started.