Ethiopia had been in a state of turbulence for many years. There were street protests, riots and the incarceration of political opponents. However, the tides turned in 2018 when the former Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, resigned leading to the ascension of Dr Abiy Ahmed as the Prime Minister of Ethiopia in 2018.
The new Prime Minister is the leader of the Oromo People’s Democratic Organization, a relatively young man in his early 40s, said to be “the youngest leader of any African country” (www.chatamhouse.org). Since coming to power, Dr Abiy has initiated an audacious and revolutionary transformation agenda which indeed proves that cycles of illegitimacy come to an end every 18th year, especially when men of courage rise to positions of power. Abiy Ahmed initiated a gender-based revolution which has seen the ascension of women to positions of authority hitherto unknown in the predominantly male dominated culture of Ethiopia. The revolutionary nature of Prime Minister Ahmed’s gender-equality agenda can be seen in the fact that they are opposed to the way women are portrayed in the nation. For instance, an Oromo proverb states that “A woman can be tall but not knowledgeable.” Similarly, an Amharic proverbs says that “A woman does not know anything, but gives birth to a knowledgeable child” (Awol K, Allo, “The power of Ethiopia’s Gender-Balanced Cabinet” 19th October 2018). It is against the background of these highly prejudiced sayings against women that we must appreciate the following appointments of women into positions of power in Ethiopia.
- First Woman President of Ethiopia – Sahle-Work Zewde: She came into this position with the experience of serving as the United Nation’s Representative at the African Union.
- First Woman Speaker of the House of People’s Representative –Muferiat Kamil: She was formerly Ethiopia’s Minister of Women Affairs and also a member of the Ethiopia People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF).
- First Woman Chief Justice – Meaza Ashenafi: She was a Women Rights Activist and the Gender Advisor at the UN Economic Commission for Africa before she was appointed as Chief Justice. Meaza studied Law at Addis Ababa University before proceeding to the United States of America to undertake Graduate Studies in International Relations. She founded the Women Lawyers Association and led it between 1995 to 2004. She was also one of the founders of the first Women Bank in Ethiopia called ENAT.
- First Gender-Balanced Cabinet in Africa: Ethiopia gave Africa her first Gender-Balanced Cabinet when Dr Abiy Ahmed appointed 50% men and 50% women as Ministers of government. Rwanda followed the example of Ethiopia two days after the announcement of the Gender-Balanced Cabinet. Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, named a cabinet that had 50% men and 50% women after blazing the trail of having 61% of their members of Parliament as women.
Dr. Abiy Ahmed’s background of being brought up by a mother who is a Protestant Christian, despite his being a Muslim, explains why he is so gender friendly in a society that exhibits a negative portrait of women. It has been noted that the Prime Minister “Broke with Tradition and acknowledged his mother and wife.” Narrating what Dr Abiy said on the day of his inauguration, Awol K. Allo notes: “In a manner that is not customary in this house… I would like to politely ask you one Ethiopian Mother who… planted this distant and deep and elaborate vision in me, who raised me, and brought me to fruition.” According to Awol, the Prime Minister further stated that “My mother is counted among the many kind, innocent, and hardworking Ethiopian mothers… in thanking my mother, I consider it equivalent in extending thanks to all Ethiopian mothers.” He specifically told Parliament, on the day he unveiled his gender-balanced cabinet, that “Our women ministers will disprove the old aphorism that women can’t lead.”
The events that led to the appointment of the First Woman President, First Speaker of Parliament and First Chief Justice of the nation of Ethiopia in 2018 are not unrelated to the healing by Jesus of the of the woman with the spirit of infirmity in the 18th year. “And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity. And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God” (Luke 13:11-13).The revolutionary events relating to Gender-Balance in Ethiopia in 2018 are a signal that we must pray that women bound by traditions of men and unable to raise themselves and their children must be loosed in 2019 and beyond.
