‘Use and Discard’: Abiy Ahmed’s Ruthless Politics of Betrayal

(Written for the Record)

By Habte H. 

The Master of Disposable Alliances

Abiy Ahmed’s political career is a study in ruthless opportunism – a trail of broken promises, shattered alliances, and discarded loyalists. His leadership operates on a brutal, unspoken rule: Use and Discard. Look at the casualties of his ascent: Lemma Megersa, once his closest confidant, reduced to irrelevance. Gedu Andargachew, a key architect of his rise, was unceremoniously sidelined. Milkessa Midega, Taye Dendea, Demeke Mekonnen – all sacrificed when their utility expired. The pattern is unmistakable: elevate, exploit, then eject.

Yet, astonishingly, he still commands followers. Why? Because his power thrives on delusion and short-term necessity. Abiy does not build institutions or lasting partnerships – he consumes people like fuel, burning them up until nothing remains. And when their time is up? No hesitation. No remorse. Just the cold efficiency of a leader who sees allies as expendable. This is not governance. It is political cannibalism. And the only question left is: Who is next?

A One-Man Revolution

Abiy’s speeches often center on the heroic individual, and the subtext is unmistakable: the only indispensable actor in Ethiopia’s political drama is Abiy Ahmed himself. Senior figures who once believed they were co-authors of a shared reform agenda have instead discovered they were merely extras in a one-man show. Former Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew, who invested enormous political capital to secure Abiy’s rise, now publicly accuses the premier of “betrayal and mismanagement” and of intensifying the very conflicts he vowed to end.  

The Conveyor Belt of Disposable Allies

Step 1: Embrace:  Abiy’s playbook begins with grand anointment – elevating supporters to “partners in prosperity,” lavishing them with visibility, titles, and fleeting rewards. The message is clear: You are indispensable.

Step 2: Exploit:  Once inside the tent, allies must mobilize their ethnic networks, media influence, or military leverage to serve Abiy’s immediate needs – whether ramming through controversial laws, crushing dissent, or manufacturing public consent. Their value lies solely in their utility.

Step 3: Eject: The moment an ally questions his agenda or risks overshadowing him, the machinery grinds into motion: sidelining, smearing, or outright imprisonment. Loyalty is not rewarded – it is consumed.

Dr. Milkessa Midega’s chilling conversation with journalist Messay Mekonen laid bare this cycle: “In Abiy’s Ethiopia, loyalty has an expiry date – measured in political usefulness.”  The pattern is undeniable – and for those still riding the conveyor belt, the only question is: When will your turn come?

Brutality for the Obstinate

Those who actively obstruct Abiy’s agenda face more than political exile. Taye Dendea, the former state minister of peace, recounts an explosive private meeting in 2022 where Abiy allegedly threatened to “exterminate” the Amhara people – a claim Dendea repeated in interviews weeks before his June 2025 arrest. Similar allegations surface from human-rights monitors investigating atrocities in Tigray and Oromia. Analysts argue that a leader willing to green-light ethnic violence against perceived obstacles will not hesitate to direct the same fury at erstwhile backers when their “best-before” date arrives 

The Inevitable Betrayal of Current Supporters

To those still rallying behind Abiy Ahmed, the question is not if your turn will come – but when. His political track record leaves little room for hope. Abiy has demonstrated, time and again, that loyalty is a temporary currency in his court – useful only until it loses its value. Figures like Daniel Kibret and Birhanu Jula may currently bask in his favour, believing themselves indispensable to his project. Yet so did others before them. PP faarsee buulaas who chant his praises today are, likely, tomorrow’s scapegoats – cast aside the moment they become inconvenient. Regional allies, too, should take heed. Those who trust his word and align their legitimacy with his will soon find themselves on the receiving end of the same betrayal that befell the TPLF in Tigray, the Fano movement in Amhara, and Oromo nationalists in their own backyard. In Abiy’s world, political expiration is not an accident – it is a built-in feature of his governing philosophy.

A Fundamental Truth About Tyrants

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” These words ring with sobering clarity in Abiy Ahmed’s Ethiopia. If he could so easily betray the very individuals who paved his path to power – trusted allies like Lemma Megersa, Gedu Andargachew, and Taye Dendea – what assurance do his current supporters have? Abiy’s loyalty has never been to people; it has always been to power itself. Those surrounding him today may believe they are different, protected by proximity or shared ideology. But the pattern is unmistakable. When their purpose is served or their influence begins to outshine his own, they too will be discarded – ruthlessly and without remorse. Power, in Abiy’s hands, is not a shared responsibility; it is a weapon he wields alone.

Conclusion: The Cycle Never Ends – Until It Does

Abiy Ahmed’s rule has become a grim carousel of betrayal, spinning faster with every discarded ally. Those who praise him today are merely riding time, unaware of the moment the music will stop and they will be unceremoniously pushed off. Ethiopia can begin to heal only when it accepts a hard truth: a leader who repeatedly turns on his own confidants cannot be trusted with an entire nation’s future. The clock is ticking, and the question each of Abiy’s current supporters must confront is brutally simple – how long before it’s my turn? A man who makes a habit of stabbing his own shadows will never stop cutting until there is no one left to bleed. Wake up before you discover that the knife is already at your back.

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

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