ETV / NEBE May 13, 2026 · 1h 27m

Self-Administration and Identity Questions Debate

Self-Administration and Identity Questions

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Q1 · Minority self-administration · Moderator

How will you handle minority groups within regional borders who demand self-administration?

18:57 26:36

Will address demands based on the constitution and public referendums to ensure peaceful coexistence.

  • Address rights questions through referendums based on the constitution.

  • Ensure peaceful coexistence and equal living conditions for all.

Will grant self-administration to contiguous minority groups with distinct cultures, primarily through special zones or woredas rather than full regional status.

  • Grant self-administration to contiguous communities with distinct cultures to preserve their heritage.

  • Prioritize political dialogue before granting administrative changes.

  • Self-administration will be at the special zone or woreda level, not full regional status.

Plans to replace regions with provinces and will allow minority groups to self-administer at the local level (woreda, kebele) based on the constitution.

  • Plans to replace the regional structure with provinces (Kifle Hager).

  • Allow minority groups to self-administer at the kebele or woreda level where they reside.

  • Demand recognition of Kucha identity and self-administration at the zone level.

New Generation Party

Will study the root causes of the problems using experts and provide legal, knowledge-based solutions.

  • Study the root causes of the problems using experts.

  • Provide knowledge-based solutions within the legal framework.

Q2 · Mixed-identity cities · Moderator

How will you manage administration in cities with mixed identities and multiple ethnic groups?

26:46 36:12

Advocates for mixed administrations where all groups coexist peacefully, guided by government orientation and dialogue.

  • Create mixed administrations in areas with mixed communities.

  • Ensure administrations from the top down to the woreda/kebele level are multinational.

  • Use dialogue and negotiation to resolve conflicts and foster peaceful coexistence.

Believes city residents should administer themselves freely without their mixed identity being compromised by any single dominant group.

  • Accept mixed identity as a valid identity in itself.

  • Allow city residents to administer themselves based on their own needs and free will.

  • Ensure administration does not marginalize any group or compromise their mixed identity.

New Generation Party

Will establish joint administrations with proportional representation from all ethnic groups, based on research and consensus.

  • Establish joint administrations with proportional representation from the different ethnic groups.

  • Base administrative decisions on research, knowledge, and inclusive dialogue.

Q3 · Minority language rights · Moderator

What is your language policy for minority groups seeking services in their own language within regions dominated by a different official language?

36:20 46:26

Supports the current constitutional right for children to learn in their mother tongue and will strengthen the use of local languages in institutions.

  • Treat all languages equally, rejecting the concept of 'minority' languages.

  • Support children learning in their mother tongue from grades 1 to 6.

  • Strengthen the use of local languages in institutions and economic exchanges.

Accepts the five national working languages but supports the growth of minority languages, allowing them to be used and developed within their respective regions.

  • Accept the five languages currently designated by the government as national languages.

  • Allow minority languages to grow and potentially become national languages in the future.

  • Ensure minority groups can develop their language and culture within their regions without conflict.

Will enforce the constitutional right to mother-tongue education and provide translators in courts and workplaces for those who don't speak the regional language.

  • Enforce the constitutional right for citizens to learn in their mother tongue.

  • Provide translators in courts and workplaces for those who do not speak the regional language.

  • Make Kuchigna the working language in the Kucha area if elected.

New Generation Party

Considers all languages a national wealth, supports mother-tongue education, and will provide translators in the justice system.

  • Ensure children are educated in their mother tongue.

  • Provide translators during judicial proceedings.

  • Protect citizens' rights to maintain their culture and differences.

Q4 · Article 39 and secession · Audience

If you remove the right to secession from Article 39, what will you do if a sub-national group feels unrepresented and wants to secede?

46:51 49:44
New Generation Party

Will address the root causes and grievances that lead groups to demand secession through dialogue and problem-solving, aiming for African unity rather than fragmentation.

  • Address the underlying grievances and lack of freedom that cause groups to demand secession.

  • Solve problems through dialogue and negotiation to keep groups together.

  • Remove the phrase 'up to secession' from Article 39 to promote unity.

Q5 · Ethnic-based party representation · Audience

Doesn't representing a single ethnic group (Kucha) pass current problems to the next generation and harm unity?

49:45 52:11

Clarifies that 'Kucha' means 'winner' and represents overcoming poverty together, not ethnic exclusion, and advocates for a province-based administration for all of Ethiopia.

  • Follow multinational federalism that respects the identity, language, and history of all ethnic groups.

  • The name 'Kucha' means 'winner' (overcoming poverty together), not an exclusive ethnic label.

  • Advocate for a province-based (Kifle Hager) administrative system for the whole country.

Q6 · Constitutional amendment · Audience

Does removing 'up to secession' from Article 39 mean you plan to change the constitution?

52:18 53:13
New Generation Party

Confirms the intention to change that specific phrase in the constitution to promote unity.

  • Plan to change the phrase 'up to secession' in the constitution.

  • Work towards uniting Africa rather than allowing Ethiopia to fragment.

Q7 · Correcting ethnic federalism · Audience

What is your vision for a 'correct' ethnic federalism, given the conflicts caused by the current system?

53:13 54:44
New Generation Party

Believes the problem lies in the implementation, not the federalism itself, and aims to replace the politics of hatred with the politics of love.

  • The issue is the lack of proper implementation of federalism, not the system itself.

  • Aim to eliminate the politics of hatred and establish a politics of love.

Q8 · Costs of ethnic regions · Audience

Won't basing regions on ethnicity increase administrative costs and lead to more secession demands?

54:45 56:00
New Generation Party

Will base regional structuring on thorough research and knowledge to ensure it promotes unity rather than fragmentation.

  • Base regional structuring on research and knowledge.

  • Ensure the structuring leads to unity rather than fragmentation.

Q9 · Meaning of Kush party name · Audience

'Kush' is a broad language family. Are you representing all of them, and why use this name?

56:03 58:09

The name aims to be inclusive and unifying for all Ethiopians, utilizing constitutional rights to organize without marginalizing any group.

  • Aim to broaden the political space with an inclusive and unifying approach.

  • Do not intend to marginalize other language speakers (like Omotic or Semitic).

  • Utilize the constitutional right to organize to promote Ethiopian multinational unity.

Q10 · Flaws in current federalism · Audience

What are the problems with the current multinational federalism regarding identity and self-administration, and how will you solve them?

58:14 1:01:09

Criticizes the current regional structuring for lacking public participation and being a source of conflict, advocating for regions formed by public consent.

  • Oppose the current regional structuring because it was not based on public participation.

  • The current structure is a source of conflict over language and other issues.

  • Regions should be established based on the consent and participation of the public.

Q11 · Establishing provinces · Audience

How will you establish provinces (Kifle Hager) instead of regions?

1:01:16 1:03:14

Will structure provinces based on geography, lifestyle, history, and identity, ensuring equal population sizes after conducting a census, with broad public and expert participation.

  • Structure provinces based on geography, lifestyle, language, history, and identity.

  • Conduct a population census to ensure administrative structures have equal population sizes.

  • Involve scholars, religious leaders, elders, and the public in the structuring process.

Q12 · Guaranteeing solutions to prevent secession · Audience

How can you guarantee you will answer all questions to prevent secession, and doesn't allowing self-determination contradict this?

1:03:14 1:04:26
New Generation Party

Rejects the concept of secession but supports self-administration, promising to work diligently to answer unresolved questions when in power.

  • Reject the phrase and concept of secession.

  • Work to answer unresolved questions once in power.

  • Support the concept of self-administration.

Q13 · Logistics of numerous provinces · Audience

Changing regions to provinces might create over 80 provinces. How will you manage the resulting logistical and administrative problems?

1:04:29 1:06:49

The number won't necessarily reach 80; the goal is to dismantle the system of ethnic dominance by creating provinces based on shared psychology and economic viability, decided through public participation and constitutional amendment.

  • The goal is to change the system where one ethnic group dominates a region named after it.

  • Determine the number of provinces based on public psychology and economic development levels.

  • Amend the constitution with full public participation to implement this structure.

  • Avoid naming administrative centers after specific ethnic groups to build a shared psychology.

Q14 · Fixing Kucha identity problems · Kush Peoples' National Movement Party

How do you plan to fix the identity problems of the community you represent if you win?

1:07:19 1:08:46

Will work with the elected government through peaceful dialogue and negotiation based on the constitution to answer the Kucha people's demands.

  • Work with the elected government to address the demands.

  • Use peaceful dialogue, negotiation, and consultation based on the constitution.

Q15 · Strategy for Ethiopia's problems · Kush Peoples' National Movement Party

How do you plan to implement a better strategy to solve Ethiopia's current problems?

1:07:34 1:09:39
New Generation Party

Will solve problems through dialogue, discussion, and research-based solutions to address the root causes.

  • Solve problems through dialogue and discussion with the community.

  • Use research and knowledge to understand the depth and root causes of the problems.

Q16 · Metric for minority representation · Ethiopian Democratic Union

What is the metric for a 'minority' to enter councils without an election? Is it the 100,000 ratio?

1:09:39 1:12:10

Argues that the 100,000 ratio is insufficient for true minority representation and advocates for a clearer constitutional system to ensure smaller groups are included.

  • The 100,000 ratio per constituency is not sufficient to represent true minorities.

  • Current practices reduce representation for very small groups.

  • Advocate for a clearer constitutional system to ensure minority inclusion.

Q17 · Working vs. National language · Kucha People's Democratic Party

The constitution specifies a 'working language,' not a 'national language.' Are you referring to working languages or national languages?

1:12:16 1:13:58
Ethiopian Democratic Union

Accepts the government's recent designation of five languages as national/working languages and will proceed with them.

  • Accept the government's designation of Amharic, Oromiffa, Tigrinya, Afar, and Somali as national languages.

  • Will proceed with these five languages as the basis.

Q18 · Definition of identity question · New Generation Party

What does 'identity question' mean, and how does your party define it?

1:13:58 1:15:25

Defines it as the right to live peacefully, work, have one's language respected, and move freely in Ethiopia without marginalization.

  • The right to live peacefully and work in one's birthplace or community.

  • The right to have one's language respected and legal identity confirmed.

  • The right to move freely and confidently as an Ethiopian citizen without marginalization.

Q19 · Examples of federal countries · New Generation Party

You mentioned 40% of the world uses federalism. Can you list some of those countries?

1:14:06 1:15:54

Cites the United States, India, and Germany as key examples of federal systems.

  • Lists the United States, India, and Germany as examples of federal countries.