Ethiopian Informer
ADDIS ABABA (EI) — Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced on Tuesday that the ruling Prosperity Party (PP) has introduced an agenda proposing a strict constitutional term limit on governance.
Addressing the outgoing Ethiopian House of Peoples’ Representatives (HoPR) on Tuesday, Abiy said the proposal suggests that any political party or government in power should be legally restricted to a maximum of two terms in office.
Abiy said that the landmark proposal was formally submitted to the ongoing National Dialogue process, as one of the agenda items presented by his party.
The prime minister emphasized the “profound” nature of the party’s stance, calling it “a significant historical step that will lay a great foundation in deepening Ethiopia’s political system.”
“While there has usually been a tendency in Africa to extend term limits through constitutional amendments, the Prosperity Party’s proposal is a rare precedent that is not seen in Africa,” Abiy told MPs.
The proposal is now in the hands of the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission, an independent state body legally mandated to forge a lasting national consensus.
The commission is tasked with addressing the country’s long-standing historical grievances and deep-rooted political divisions through inclusive consultation.
Following extensive grassroots public consultations across the country, the commission recently unveiled its core agenda pillars for the upcoming talks. These foundational pillars are set to include vital, structured discussions regarding the overall state structure and the future form of the Ethiopian government.
Abiy described the national dialogue initiative as a “historic opportunity” for the Horn of Africa nation to look past historical and immediate political disputes.
He noted that the process represents a broader national undertaking to resolve generational challenges and chart a unified, peaceful path forward through a shared social contract.
(Photo Credit — Office of the Ethiopian Prime Minister via X, formerly Twitter.)
