Following the call by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD), in his inaugural speech at the Ethiopian parliament, to all political parties in exile to return to their country and pursue a peaceful political agenda, the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Party (EPRP) has decided to come back home with the first batch of its leadership scheduled to land in Addis Ababa today.
“Currently, the wave of reform in the country is creating an encouraging condition to augment the political landscape of the country; and hence by considering such positive developments and to respond to the calls made by the PM, EPRP has decided to come back home and register as a domestic political party to contribute our share to the effort to democratize the country,” reads a statement sent to The Reporter.
In this regard, the leadership of the party headed by Belayneh Nigatu is expected to arrive in Addis Ababa today. According to the statement, the first task on EPRP’s plate is registration; apart form that, it also aims at advancing numerous political, democratic and human rights matters in Ethiopia.
The party is now following Social Democracy as its governing ideology unlike its Marxist ideology during its inception back in 1970s, and aspires to promote its activities throughout Ethiopia in realization of the following major key issues: ensuring social justice, rule of law, reduction of poverty, gender equality, environmental protection, job creation and respect for both democratic and human rights and promote unity of the country.
On top of such an extended political program, EPRP’s leadership is expected to pay a visit to the Red Terror Martyrs Memorial Museum and plans to establish a sub-committee that acts like a support group and facilitate a regular meeting and communication among the victims of Red Terror.
According to the statement sent to The Reporter, the party is also planning to conduct consecutive meetings with different like-minded individuals and political groups in the country to provide lasting solutions to the current political and social problems that the country is facing and to charter the way forward.
The party is also planning to meet and discuss with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) on different issues pertaining to the current political environment.
