By – Habte H.
Propaganda as a Tool – and as a Trap
It is no secret that governments everywhere use propaganda and media to gain public attention and acceptance. From ancient empires to modern states, power has always tried to control the story. But there is a world of difference between using propaganda as a calculated tool and sinking so deeply into your own lies that you start believing them as truth. That, sadly, is where Ethiopia’s Prosperity Party (PP) and its allied media campaigners seem to be trapped today.
Propaganda, in its “classic” form, is not just about shouting slogans. It requires a certain art, coherence, and careful calculation. Even when it is deceptive, it usually has a clear purpose: to justify a war, to sell a policy, to crush an opponent. It works by mixing a bit of truth with a lot of distortion, but always in a disciplined way. If done clumsily, propaganda quickly backfires – the public sees the gaps, the contradictions, and the regime loses credibility.
From Strategic Lies to Dangerous Self-Belief
In one interview on BBC Afan Oromo channel, Jawar Mohammed made a sharp observation that captures this distinction. He said, in essence: I know the then rule – TPLF lies, but it lies with a strategy-its propaganda is deliberate and calculated. Our people (he mean PP), on the other hand, especially those who sit in power in the name of the Oromo, are far more dangerous: they not only lie, but they also lie badly, and worst of all, they believe their own lies and make bold decisions. This is a devastating critique, not because it praises TPLF, but because it exposes something more alarming about PP: a leadership that is drifting into self-deception.
When a political party starts to believe its own fake propaganda, it crosses a dangerous line. The target is no longer just the public; the first victim becomes the party itself. Reality is replaced by wishful thinking. Facts are replaced by talking points. Policy is replaced by narrative management.
The Televised Fake “Agreement” with Fano leader (Masresha Setae)
A recent example illustrates this clearly. PP-affiliated media loudly advertised that an “agreement” had been reached with Fano forces led by Masresha Setie. According to the propaganda, this was a breakthrough: the government had supposedly negotiated and reached a settlement. But everyone who has followed events closely knows that Masresha never appeared with a single rifle or a single soldier in any credible negotiation format. There was no real evidence of armed structures coming under control, no visible demobilisation, no verifiable mechanism on the ground.
Yet, PP’s media machine kept celebrating this “agreement” as if it were an established fact. They rolled out statements, interviews, and celebratory headlines as though the narrative itself could create reality. This is not sophisticated propaganda; it is a clumsy performance meant for an audience that already knows the truth. It insults the intelligence of the public and exposes how disconnected the ruling party has become from what is happening in the country.
When Reality Finally Speaks
PP’s problem is not only that it lies to the public. Many governments do that, and people, sadly, have learned to live with it. The deeper danger is that PP now lies to itself. Surrounded by loyal media, obedient cadres and fearful institutions, leaders hear only the echo of their own speeches. Those echoes replace reality. Decisions are made on fantasy, not facts, on imagined victories, not hard truths. Meanwhile, official media keeps chanting “reform”, “peace” and “prosperity” as the country sinks deeper.
Self-deception may feel comforting, but it is politically suicidal. You cannot negotiate peace on illusions. You cannot restore security with press conferences about agreements that never existed. You cannot fix a collapsing economy with slogans about growth that nobody feels in the market.
The Ethiopian public is not naïve. People know when there is peace and when there is war; when prices fall and when they bite harder. They know the difference between an agreement that changes life on the ground and a statement read on camera. No propaganda can outshout what families see with their own eyes.
If PP wants any chance of regaining trust, it must first stop lying to itself. Headlines can be managed; history cannot. A regime that governs by its own lies is digging its own grave.
Editor’s Note : Views in the article do not necessarily reflect the views of borkena.com
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