PM Meles Zenawi Nominated As Person of the Year by Ethiopian Forum for Political Civility 2009
By Ethioman
Jan. 19 2010
I was surfing the net to check current developments in Ethiopia today. I was watching the inauguration of Gilgel Gibe 2 Hydro electric plant in the presence of PM Meles Zenawi and other dignitaries. Gilgel Gibe 2 is now the biggest Hydro electric plant in the country. I heard this “this is just the beginning”. I also read another better news, recommended to me by a good friend, no he said- that’s just the record beginning he said, another bigger one is coming. I went on checking, Tanabeles project with a larger capacity and Gilgel Gibe 3 with massive 1800 MW are on the pipeline, this was mesmerising, the news didn’t stop there, another good news came, this one says the Nile Basin Initiative is planning to build a 2100MW Hydro Electric Power Plant in Ethiopia. The biggest ever Hydro-electric plant to be built on the River Nile, Wow, wow, wow, All this developments are results of good leadership. I couldn’t believe what I saw and decided to put my feelings in writing. Then I decided to divert my topic for the moment. Another news from another source, this time nominating our beloved Prime Minister.
The title of the news was this “Meles Nominated As Person of The Year/2009 “What a great news I said to my self, what a nomination? A man who is trying to lift Ethiopia out of poverty nominated as a man of the year. I wasn’t surprised at all; I have observed the calibre, knowledge, leadership, diplomatic, political and oratory skill of our prime Minister for years. He has a special place in me, a former guerrilla leader who turned to be an amazing prime minister. The man who walks the talk wow, wow, a man of action in action. The struggle he and his comrades launched in remote northern part of Ethiopia (Dedebit) has now started to be felt across borders of countries, regions and continents. I feel very proud to be represented by his Excellency PM Meles Zenawi in various global forums such as the G20 and the Copenhagen global environmental Summit.
Wow, I really felt good when I heard the nomination. Meles has transformed Ethiopian economy and politics for good. Ethiopia’s economy has been growing in double digit for 6 consecutive years. This has been confirmed by many independent institutions. It wasn’t a surprise for me to witness that, I went to Ethiopia’s capital after almost a decade years of living abroad, whether readers believe it or not I couldn’t find my way in Addis Ababa, my city where I was born and brought up, all these new roads and buildings made me feel like a stranger in my own country. The new roads and buildings have changed the face of the African political capital Addis Ababa and Ethiopia. The leadership of the EPRDF has done a tremendous job. Similar developments are being witnessed in various town and rural areas.
PM Meles’s leadership has been very good, the recently signed memorandum of understanding which was endorsed by all major parties and our parliament, is expected to facilitate a fair and free election in Ethiopia. The room for hate politics and violence seems to be narrowing. Ethiopia deserves a political environment where all our differences would be addressed in a civil and democratic manner. The recent law passed by the parliament with regards to the code of conduct of political parties would transform our politics to a higher level. Patience tolerance and justice will characterise our politics. Ethiopians have said no to rock throwers and hate filled political priests or Ayatollah’s. Ethiopia being a diverse country can’t afford the repeat of the 2005 post election violence. All major parties have now agreed to adhere to the agreement. This is a big development in Ethiopian politics and am sure things will be fine this time. Those who resorted to violence will slowly but surely join the political wagon. NO TO VIOLENCE YES TO PEACE should be our slogan.
PM Meles Zenawi has worked hard and contributed a lot to transform the nation, his contribution to his party and country dates back to 1975. He has been struggling to bring peace and development in Ethiopia for decades. His commitment and love to the cause of the EPRDF and Ethiopia is amazing.
Meles Zenawi shouldn’t just be nominated, he deserves to be crowned as man of the year, I in person will vote for PM Meles Zenawi not just as man of the Year, but as man of the last and this millennium. He is a bridge between the past, the present and the future, Meles is a matured and all rounded leader; I always enjoy listening to his press conferences. I try not to miss any of his Interviews. If there are Interviews I missed I try to get them from the archives of waltainfo, aigaform, Ethiocivility and other useful sources.
Some readers might think it’s not fashionable to show love to our leaders, in this case let me be outdated and unfashionable, what do I loose and gain? I did the mathematics and there is none, its time to freely express ones idea as open as possible. Great leaders have enemies as well as admirers. People who express their ideas openly know about that. Whatever people say, we got the best Prime Minister in Ethiopia. An old Amharic saying goes like this ‘Gold in hand is treated as copper’-an old Ethiopian saying. Some other societies depict similar situation in a different manner like for example “A bird in the hand is better than a bird with a hand”. Its time to appreciate all positive achievements by our leaders sadly we admire our leaders when they passed away; in the new millennium we celebrate their achievements when they are alive.
For me his Excellency PM Meles Zenawi is the man of the renaissance, he has wakened Ethiopia from the century’s deep sleep. The country which was snoring loud, clear and hallucinating feeling pain by wars and conflicts under brutal leaders has wakened up. Ethiopia is no more a country that interest’s archaeologists and historians alone, it’s a country where modern civilisation and vibrant economic activities are being witnessed as well. Our government under its leadership is striking a good balance between our past, present and the future. The developments we witness in tourism, telecommunication, and electricity deserves mention. The boom in the construction and building is the first of its magnitude in Ethiopia. Service sectors like education, health and water services are growing amazingly.
PM Meles and his party have secured relative peace and stability in Ethiopia; this is encouraging foreign and local investors. EPRDF’s vision of making Ethiopia a middle income country in two decades seems to be on the right track. Ethiopia's role in regional and international politics and economics is growing.
PM Meles deserves the nomination for what he did to Ethiopia. I will fully support his nomination . Our Prime Minister symbolises all the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for democracy and development, he represents all his colleagues and the masses that collaborated in achieving all the developments.
Thanks to Ethiopian Forum for Political Civility for nominating PM Meles as person of the Year (2009)
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