Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed has revealed that during the critical period leading up to Ethiopia's recent reforms, a time when the nation's very existence hung in the balance, his administration faced a stark choice: make tough, potentially unpopular decisions or risk national collapse. Speaking today, he asserted that no responsible government would have had an alternative to the path chosen by the reformist forces.
Dr. Abiy candidly acknowledged that not every decision made during this tumultuous period was met with universal approval. "Decisions don't always get a good response as expected," he stated, explaining the dilemma as one of either making a decision and mitigating its potential fallout or cowering in fear of harm and doing nothing.
The Prime Minister emphasized that inaction was never an option. "If you can't make a decision because you're scared of harm, you'll just stay put," he remarked. He underscored that making decisive choices and actively working to maximize their benefits was the only viable way forward.
This ethos, he explained, is the hallmark of a responsible governing body. It was this commitment that led to the unconditional opening of Ethiopia's political and media landscapes. Dr. Abiy recalled that with no established institutions to discern truth from falsehood, the government opted to "give a platform to everyone." This bold move, he concluded, ultimately empowered the public to "weigh in and decide" for themselves.