June 3, 2025
By: Getahun Tsegaye
Staff Reporter
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — The Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party (EPRP) has issued a sharp condemnation over what it described as an “illegal award” presented to Addis Ababa Mayor Adanech Abebie. The party claims the award was given in its name without its knowledge, involvement, or consent.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the EPRP, one of the legally registered opposition parties under the National Election Board of Ethiopia and operating in the country, declared that it does not recognize the award and disassociates itself entirely from the event. “This act does not represent our party and we firmly denounce it,” the statement read, calling the move an insult to both the party’s principles and the people of Addis Ababa.
The incident traces back to a scheduled meeting of the Addis Ababa Joint Council of Political Parties that was to take place on May 30. EPRP explained that it had prepared for the meeting by submitting written public concerns, expecting to discuss the city’s pressing issues with the mayor. However, the party said it was later informed that the meeting had been canceled without explanation.
Despite the cancellation, EPRP alleges that the meeting was quietly rescheduled for Monday, June 2. “We had hoped the gathering would address the pressing issues of Addis Ababa’s residents. Instead, the focus shifted, and an ‘award’ was presented to Mayor Adanech Abebie in an event that appeared more ceremonial than substantive,” the party said. It claimed the occasion ignored the critical problems facing the city and instead served as an endorsement of the mayor’s administration.
According to EPRP, the award was used to “legitimize the injustices committed by the ruling Prosperity Party (PP) government against the people of Addis Ababa.” The party accused the government of widespread misgovernance, including displacing long-term residents without warning, redistributing city property under the guise of boundary changes, and imposing unfair taxation that has impoverished many.
“The injustices and oppression inflicted on Ethiopians—especially the people of Addis Ababa—over the past seven years are too many to count,” the statement said. EPRP added that residents have been systematically excluded from employment opportunities at all administrative levels, and identity-based restrictions have left citizens feeling alienated in their own capital. “Addis Ababa is a shared city, and its residents are being made strangers in their own home,” the party stated. “An administration that demolishes heritage, transfers land in the name of boundary adjustments, and excludes locals from jobs should be held accountable—not celebrated,” it said.
The EPRP also took aim at the Addis Ababa Joint Council of Political Parties itself, accusing it of betraying its founding purpose. “The Council has strayed from its mission. Instead of defending citizens and opposition parties, it has become a public relations platform for the Prosperity Party,” the statement alleged. The party claimed some council leaders have been swayed by political and personal gains, undermining the credibility of the organization.
In its statement, the party outlined several key demands. It reaffirmed that the so-called award does not reflect EPRP’s stance and was granted without the knowledge or consent of its Addis Ababa branch leadership. The party called on the Council to immediately halt its alignment with the ruling party’s agenda and to return to its original mission of representing the public and political opposition fairly.
EPRP further urged the government to end the harassment, imprisonment, and human rights violations against citizens who raise legitimate demands. It called for urgent action to address the economic challenges, particularly the rising cost of living that has burdened many families.
The party demanded that the Joint Council remain independent and not be used as a political tool.
“We urge the Council to uphold its founding principles and resist being turned into a mouthpiece for those in power,” the statement underlined, reinforcing the party’s stance that it will not support or participate in efforts that, in its view, mask injustice with ceremony.
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