ADDIS ABABA and CAIRO: The death of Ethiopia's Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is the end to more than two months of speculation over his future, and the future of the East African country. With the passing of the longtime strongman, Ethiopians are beginning to wonder how the country's future will be developed. Seen largely as a dictator who curtailed domestic freedoms in the country, Zenawi was also praised across political lines for his stalwart push for Ethiopia's independence on Nile Water issues, developing the Great Renaissance Dam in the country despite antagonism from Sudan and Egypt over the matter. This earned him political points, even from his growing dissenters, who demanded the country end its crackdown on political forces and media in opposition to his rule. His death also leaves what one local Addis Ababa reporter told Bikyamasr.com was a “vacuum of credibility” from the government, who had repeatedly said Zenawi was in “good health,” despite not being seen in public for more than two months. Communication Minister Bereket Simon told Australia-based Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) radio station earlier this month that the Ethiopian leader “will be back in office sooner than the Ethiopian New Year 2005," but he is not to attend any ceremony. The health debacle has led to many activists and opposition forces inside and outside Ethiopia pushing for change at the top of government. Ethiopian activists continued their online calls for change in the country up until his death, with the hope the government will ease its decades long power hold over the country and its political future. “We definitely are hopeful that this recent episode concerning Meles [Zenawi] and his health will wake up the country that we are the future of Ethiopia," a student activist in Addis Ababa told Bikyamasr.com last week. “This country has been led by a man who continues to oppress us all, Christians, Muslims and others, so it is time we take our own destiny in our hands," he added, asking not to be named due to the sensitive nature of referring to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. On Tuesday, the same activist said the country deserves “a break from the ongoing battles over politics in the country as many will mourn his death, so we must not push too hard too quickly or face a backlash.” Newspapers who reported the PM's health controversy were met with massive crackdowns from the government, highlighting the struggle for freedom of speech in the country. Zenawi had ruled Ethiopia for more than two decades and many activists in the country had called for his ouster in order to push the country forward. Speculation over Zenawi's future began when he missed last month's African Union summit, held in the Ethiopian capital. The youth have been the most outspoken towards change in the country. “It will definitely be interesting to see how we all react," said another student activist. The activist told Bikyamasr.com that “Ethiopia will be better when we are all, Christians and Muslims work together to build a country based not on one group dominating the other, but on the idea that we can have a solid country for all Ethiopians." The question now for many in the country is what happens next. It is unclear if any drastic changes will take place, but in Addis Ababa a sense of hope has begun to take hold over the future of Ethiopia.
