Ezema: Once a Lion’s Roar, now a Purring Cat – Is There Hope Left?

By: Habte H.

There was a time when the Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice Party (Ezema) strode onto Ethiopia’s political stage like a lion – bold, fearless, and impossible to ignore. Promising justice, reform, and a break from decades of failed politics, Ezema inspired hope among citizens weary of empty rhetoric.

Yet, as the saying goes, “A lion does not protect the village by roaring in the market.” True power lies in action, not words – a lesson Ezema seems to have forgotten. Today, the party no longer roars; it purrs, content to lounge in the shadows of power rather than fight for the people it once vowed to defend.

Its today’s call for a “special assembly” felt less like a rallying cry and more like a faint whisper from a party that has lost its way. If Ethiopia ever holds a free and fair election again – a dream many fear slipping away – Ezema would not even get a passing glance from voters. It is politically dead, socially shunned, and morally bankrupt, yet it moves like a ghost unaware of its own death.

Ezema: From Opposition to the Regime’s Echo

In the moments that called for courage, Ezema chose silence. When mosques and churches were set ablaze, it offered no protest. When innocent people were jailed or killed, it did not raise its voice. When Ethiopia was slipping into a one-party state, Ezema nodded silently in agreement.

One elder once told me, “If a dog is silent while the thief steals, the thief will never stop.” Ezema became that silent dog. It stopped being a watchdog and started wagging its tail for the very hand that feeds the dictatorship.

No longer a true opposition, Ezema is now a mouthpiece for Abiy Ahmed’s regime. Instead of protecting the people, it defends the dictator. Instead of holding power accountable, it blesses oppression. It is the difference between a servant and a leader – and Ezema chose to be the servant.

Prof. Berhanu: The Gambler Who Lost More Than His Bet

I remember debates with those who admired Prof. Berhanu Nega for his intellect and passion. But admiration turned to disappointment. Today, Berhanu is no longer a fighter for change but a gambler who bets on the wrong horse – and drags his party along with him.

He presides over silence as voices of dissent are crushed. He watches as Ethiopia inches closer to dictatorship without lifting a finger to resist. His comfort in power is more frightening than any harsh speech from the ruling regime. Because the real enemy is not the dictator alone – it is those who choose to dance with him, pretending they are still in the fight.

In the words of an old saying, “He who rides a tiger is afraid to dismount.” Prof. Berhanu and Ezema have ridden this tiger too far to step off, no matter the cost to Ethiopia.

The Party No One Respects Anymore

Ezema is not just irrelevant – it is a tragic joke. A party that once promised lions’ courage now scrambles to avoid shadows. It has no followers, no trust, no voice. It should gracefully exit the stage rather than continue performing in a play no one watches.

But there is hope in this failure. Ethiopians, at home and abroad, see through the facade. They know Ezema is not opposition – they see it as a symbol of failure, cowardice, and betrayal.

Let this be Ezema’s legacy – not the false assemblies it holds or the hollow speeches it delivers, but the shame of how thoroughly it sold out its people and humiliated itself serving a dictator.

#Ezema #EthiopianPolitics #FailedOpposition #LostCourage #PoliticalBetrayal 

Editor’s Note : Views in the article do not necessarily reflect the views of borkena.com      

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