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Even before she comes back to Ethiopia people all over were talking about Birtukan Medeksa, the CUD vice-President. She has certainly overshadowed the Chairman Hailu Shawel. I am sure the corruption inside Hailu’s camp has been one of the reasons for her success. Rumors of corruption as crazy as Hailu buying houses in America and wasting the money of innocent supporters of CUD party are spreading around. If these rumors are false, it is a saddening indication that Ethiopians have not stopped using character assassination as a political tool yet. If these rumors are true, how much worst can Hailu’s camp get??

 

Anyway, Birtukan is capturing the hearts of many people. Those who used to say Birtukan Medeksa is Oromo only in her name are now praising her because of her plans for an all-inclusiveness of her CUD party. Until now, some Oromo and other southern people were supporting her CUD party just because they hate the ruling party. But if Birtukan manages to change the one-ethnic face of CUD, her party will unquestionably win any election in Ethiopia. Her party’s Amharic name "Kinijit" meaning Unity has been seen as a unity between Amhara and Gurage ethnicities, but now it can become a unity among all ethnicities. At least that is what most people hope.

 

But there are many important questions to be answered. If her party moves forward to include more ethnicities and thus the interests of more ethnicities, then wouldn’t the foundation, manifesto and identity of the party change also? After all, a notable portion of the Ethiopian population deeply suppports groups like OFDM, ONLF, ONC, OLF and other ethnic based opposition groups. Even though all seek democracy and other common values, there are important specific policies that these ethnic organizations possess. And some of these policies are in deep contradiction to Birtukan’s CUD policies. So she must know that the current Birtukan-mania is growing in the anticipation of her party adopting some new policies that are accommodating for the above portion of the Ethiopian population.

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