Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London,April 8፡2025 (Tigray Herald)
Too Gentle for the Storm: Getachew Reda’s Political Farewell,
By Teshome Beyene
Getachew Reda’s simplicity, sharp intellect, engaging wit, and light-hearted tone will be missed. For many Tigrean youth, he has long embodied a symbol of a hopeful future—one free from the hardline and backstabbing politics that defined much of the past fifty years.
His sudden departure from the political stage is both heartbreaking and unexpected. And yet, it might be the right moment for him to turn a page—to take a well-earned break and embark on a period of reflection and renewal. For nearly a decade, Getachew has been at the heart of Ethiopia’s political storm, especially since the rise of Abiy Ahmed, serving as a senior official in both party and government. The pace has been relentless.
While it may still be too early to assess the full impact of his two-year tenure in the Tigray Interim Administration, a few defining qualities immediately stand out. His clear and unwavering advocacy for peace, his commitment to accountability—including his oft-repeated call that “all of us in the TPLF leadership must be held accountable”—and his principled stance on the need to separate the functions of the party from the state, shall remain etched in public memory.
But the political terrain he navigated was rugged and unforgiving. Meaningful reform required clear choices from the outset. One path could have involved building a base within the party, challenging the old guard directly, and working to shift the balance from within—a tall order, but not entirely impossible. Another option would have been to rally the broader public around a reform agenda and lead a peaceful transformation from the ground up. Both routes demanded early and unwavering commitment—and a strategic toughness rarely afforded in politics.
In this unforgiving arena, Getachew’s inclination to remain collegial, inclusive, and open may have run counter to the instincts of those around him, many of whom prefer zero-sum politics and have long mastered the art of grassroots manipulation through fear and propaganda. As I have long believed, both culturally and ideologically, Getachew belongs not to the entrenched politics of the 1960s, with its obsession over “friend or foe” dichotomies, but to the present and future—a politics rooted in dialogue, openness, and transformation.
I sincerely wish Getachew all the best in whatever path he chooses next. His intellectual depth and clarity of thought are immense, and I have no doubt that his contributions—whether in public service, academia, or civil society—will continue to enrich our collective journey.
