By Kungu Al-mahadi Adam Ethiopia’s National Electoral Board (NEBE) recently rejected the Tigray People’s Liberation Front’s (TPLF) request to be reinstated as a political party without undergoing the standard registration process. This decision underscores Ethiopia’s commitment to upholding the rule of law, ensuring political accountability, and fostering a democratic system that prioritizes fairness and transparency. The TPLF, once a dominant force in Ethiopian politics, must not be granted special privileges that undermine the legal framework governing political parties. Ethiopia’s stance is not only justified but also critical for the nation’s democratic progress. The TPLF’s request for reinstatement stems from its delisting as a political party in 2021, following its designation as a terrorist organization by the Ethiopian government. This designation was not arbitrary; it was a response to the TPLF’s armed rebellion against the federal government, which plunged the Tigray region and beyond into a devastating conflict. The group’s actions, including attacks on federal military bases and incitement of violence, caused immense suffering, displacing millions and destabilizing the region. Allowing such an entity to bypass the legal registration process would send a dangerous message: that political violence can be rewarded with exemptions from accountability. Ethiopia’s electoral laws are clear. Any group seeking to operate as a political party must meet stringent requirements, including gathering signatures, demonstrating a commitment to democratic principles, and complying with the country’s legal framework. These rules exist to ensure that political actors operate within the bounds of the law and respect the sovereignty of the state. The TPLF’s attempt to sidestep this process is not only an affront to Ethiopia’s legal system but also a reflection of the group’s lingering sense of entitlement from its decades-long dominance under the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). Critics of the NEBE’s decision may argue that denying the TPLF reinstatement risks alienating the Tigrayan population and hindering reconciliation efforts. However, this argument overlooks a fundamental point: political parties are not synonymous with ethnic groups. The people of Tigray, like all Ethiopians, deserve representation through lawful and democratic means. Allowing the TPLF to bypass registration would unfairly elevate one group above others, undermining the principle of equal treatment under the law. Moreover, it would erode public trust in the electoral process by suggesting that certain actors are above scrutiny. The Pretoria Peace Agreement of 2022, which ended the Tigray conflict, is often cited by TPLF supporters as a basis for reinstatement. Yet, the agreement does not grant the TPLF automatic political status. Instead, it emphasizes disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration, alongside a commitment to resolving disputes through legal and peaceful means. The TPLF’s insistence on special treatment contradicts the spirit of the agreement and risks reigniting tensions rather than fostering unity. Ethiopia’s rejection of the TPLF’s request also sets a vital precedent for political accountability. Across Africa, where histories of armed insurgencies and political violence are not uncommon, nations must establish clear boundaries for political participation. Allowing groups to transition from militancy to politics without rigorous vetting risks legitimizing violence as a pathway to power. Ethiopia’s insistence on a fresh registration process sends a message to all political actors: compliance with the law is non-negotiable. The TPLF has a choice. It can demonstrate its commitment to democracy by fulfilling the registration requirements, engaging in transparent dialogue, and renouncing its past reliance on coercion. Alternatively, it can continue to demand special treatment, further alienating itself from Ethiopia’s evolving political landscape. The NEBE’s decision empowers the TPLF to take the lawful path, should it choose to do so, while safeguarding the integrity of Ethiopia’s democratic institutions. Ethiopia stands at a critical juncture. As the country navigates its complex political transition, decisions like the NEBE’s reinforce the importance of building a system rooted in fairness, accountability, and respect for the rule of law. By rejecting the TPLF’s request for reinstatement without a fresh registration process, Ethiopia is not closing the door on political participation—it is ensuring that all players enter through the same gate. This is a victory for democracy and a step toward a more inclusive and stable future. The writer is a Ugandan journalist who has consistently covered and followed the conflict in Tigray. adamkungu7@gmail.com

Yimer Ayele One thing that the current TPLF old guard has mastered is how to manufacture a crisis. The storm that they are trying to stir up due to the cancellation of the party’s registration by the National Elections Board is a good example of the bluff of this group. After the Pretoria Agreement - which does not address the issue of registration - was signed, the Electoral Board rejected TPLF’s request to be reinstated as a political party without any registration process. The Board decided that the TPLF must re-register using the regular registration process, just like any other newly formed party. The TPLF complained against this decision and claimed that as an old party with a long history, it should not be required to register through the regular procedure. The Federal Government made an effort to work with the Board to see if there was any way in which the request of the TPLF could be accommodated under the pertinent law. However, this effort was unsuccessful, as the Board determined that the matter fell outside its mandate. Hence, the Federal Government respected the decision of the Board as an independent democratic constitutional organ. To find a way out of this impasse and in the spirit of fostering peace, the Federal Government initiated a legislative amendment that would enable the TPLF to register through a special, expedited, and simplified procedure enabling it to maintain its political identity as a decades-old party. The new legislation waived the requirements applicable to a new political party. It enabled TPLF to register with its existing program, leadership, and bylaws without the need to go through the cumbersome processes required during the formation of a new political party. Under this law, the TPLF registered and secured a certificate regaining its status as a political party under Ethiopian law. However, after it received the certificate of registration, the TPLF complained that it was not happy with how it was registered and started clamoring for “reinstatement”. The certificate it has acquired and its registration through a special procedure gave it all the benefits, privileges, and entitlements of a political party. Yet, the TPLF insisted that this was still not satisfactory without any reasonable ground for its dissatisfaction. It was a frivolous complaint that did not change the fact that the TPLF had already regained its legal status as a duly registered political party. To complicate matters further, the TPLF conducted a general assembly to elect a new leadership without notifying the National Electoral Board in advance, as per the requirements of the law. Any political party intending to hold a general assembly must first notify the Board and conduct the assembly under its supervision. Nevertheless, the TPLF held an assembly without complying with these statutory requirements. The Board noted this violation of the political parties' proclamation but gave the TPLF ample chance and warning to rectify the infraction and comply with the law. The Board furthermore instructed the TPLF to hold an assembly under its supervision and gave a time frame within which this task should be accomplished. When the TPLF failed to comply with this requirement within the six-month period prescribed by the law, the Board granted an additional three months for compliance. Once again, the TPLF ignored the instructions of the Board, fully aware that this would entail the cancellation of its registration. The TPLF had nine months to hold a general assembly and meet the requirements of the Board. It deliberately failed to do so. This was a conscious effort intended to generate a crisis. After the Board inevitably cancelled its registration due to its own calculated intransigence and deliberate failure to comply with the law of the land, TPLF is now complaining about the cancellation of its registration. This is disingenuous to say the least. The TPLF orchestrated the cancellation through its deliberate non-compliance, violating a clear and reasonable legal requirement to hold a general party assembly. Now, it claims that the cancellation might trigger “instability and spontaneous violence”. There is nothing spontaneous about this whole affair. It is a manufactured crisis that is the handiwork of the warmongers within the TPLF and their senior partners from the north. This ploy must not hoodwink the international community. Those behind this drama are the hardliners of the TPLF who were unhappy with the Pretoria Agreement. The depth of their displeasure is manifested clearly by the fate of the lead negotiators of the Peace Agreement, both of whom had to flee the Tigray region, fearing for their lives. TPLF would not have chased away those who negotiated the peace agreement if it was committed to peace. What belies the professed commitment of the TPLF to the Pretoria agreement is its constant need to manufacture a crisis. It is the same logic that explains the fact that they are holding IDPs as hostages to perpetuate their narrative and litany of grievances. The international community cannot interfere in the question of the registration of a political party, which is an internal administrative and regulatory matter. If the TPLF is not happy with the decision of the Electoral Board, it can appeal to the judiciary. The TPLF should not benefit from the crisis it is manufacturing by getting the one reward it is seeking - which is international attention! Addressing governance, rehabilitation, and reconstruction priorities should be the focus of anyone who has the best interest of the Tigray region and its people at heart. Instead the current leadership of the TPLF seems to prefer engaging in pointless liaisons with diplomats and international organizations where it regurgitates the same talking points. This addiction to the fanfare and ceremonial trappings of diplomatic engagements should not be indulged. The desire to unilaterally break and renegotiate the Pretoria Agreement must be called out for the dangerous delusion that it represents. The TPLF should be firmly disabused of this notion. There will not be a sequel to Pretoria! It is time that even those who are not happy with this Agreement come to terms with this reality and focus on its implementation, instead of its renegotiation.