Four Ethiopian political parties have jointly issued a strongly worded statement expressing grave concern over what they describe as “destructive and provocative rhetoric” made by senior government officials.
The parties allege that recent public remarks delivered by high-ranking figures, including the Mayor of Addis Ababa and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, undermine constitutional order and threaten national cohesion.
The parties asserted that such statements reflect a worrying pattern, which, rather than being isolated incidents, appear to be part of a broader political narrative. According to their statement, remarks that disregard constitutional values and insinuate threats to national unity are becoming alarmingly recurrent.
“These are not slips of the tongue,” one party leader remarked. “They signal a deliberate and dangerous political stance that may erode public trust and further polarise an already fragile national landscape.”
Particularly contentious were the Mayor’s recent remarks and the military leadership’s tone, both of which were described by the parties as “politically charged and counterproductive to peace efforts.”
The officials were accused of using public platforms to make declarations that border on incitement and deepen societal divisions. “These utterances, whether intentional or not, echo a political inclination that aligns poorly with the principles of democratic governance,” the statement reads.
The joint declaration warns against the repetition of what it termed “war-inciting” speeches, particularly in a context where millions still bear the scars of recent conflict. Citing the suffering endured during the war in northern Ethiopia, the parties stressed that leaders have a moral obligation to pursue peace and reconciliation, not rhetoric that could reignite hostilities.
In their three-point call to action, the four parties urged:
- An immediate cessation of inflammatory public statements by senior federal and regional authorities;
- A transparent and inclusive review of the ongoing dialogue process between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), with the aim of correcting its course;
- A renewed commitment to peaceful resolution of the conflict in the Tigray region through political and constitutional mechanisms.
The statement concludes with a broader appeal to all political actors in Ethiopia to refrain from language that could incite violence, and instead prioritise national unity, institutional integrity, and constitutionalism.
Political observers suggest that this public intervention marks a significant development in Ethiopia’s domestic political dynamics, signalling rising discomfort within the political class about the tone and content of recent high-level statements.
If the concerns raised gain further traction, it could place additional pressure on the federal government to moderate its rhetoric and engage more constructively with opposition forces, particularly at a time when efforts to rebuild national stability remain precarious.