LJDemissie
Author’s Note
From the moment Prime Minister Abiy’s administration was established, I found myself resonating with his vision and mission, as articulated in his speeches. Over the past six years, I have actively countered the mainstream media’s disinformation campaigns against Abiy through my articles and Twitter posts.
My work primarily aimed to debunk misinformation, emphasize the importance of modernizing traditional Ethiopian women’s pottery, keep the digital data of government institutions current, and establish rules, policies, and ethical standards for government social media accounts, including the need for guidelines to manage and protect digital data for Ethiopia’s digital economy.
Despite my advocacy for these guidelines, including discouraging the use of personal accounts for official purposes, my appeals were largely ignored by PM Abiy’s administration. This led me to the decision to unfollow PM Abiy on Twitter (@PMEthiopia), as I felt there was no further contribution I could make to him or his administration in the absence of such policies.
Nevertheless, I continue to hope for peace in Ethiopia and success for his government.
Absence of Social Media Rules and Policies
The Ethiopian government lacks established rules and policies governing its social media accounts under the leadership of PM Abiy. Officials often interchangeably use personal and official accounts, leading to data retention issues when roles change.
For example, Ato Taye Atske Selassie used his personal Twitter account (@TayeAtske) for official purposes as the former Ambassador to the UN, retaining data upon assuming his current position. Similarly, Lia Tadesse, former Minister of Health, utilized her personal account (@lia_tadesse) for official matters. Upon leaving her position for her role at Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program, she retained the data in her account, highlighting a lack of clear guidelines regarding data management and transition between government roles.
This inconsistency underscores the urgent need for comprehensive social media regulations to ensure accountability and transparency within the government’s digital communications.
False information has been disseminated from official accounts such as @Ethiopia_UN and @EthiopiainKE, claiming PM Abiy’s pan-African ideology as a beacon of hope for Africa. Despite calls for action to remove disinformation, PM Abiy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have ignored them.
Additionally, PM Abiy’s advisor, Daniel Kibret, utilizes his personal account (@danielkibret) for official purposes, disseminating inflammatory propaganda and rhetoric without facing consequences. He bullies, abuses, intimidates, and belittles others. His social media misconduct seems sanctioned and endorsed by PM Abiy. Daniel’s behavior and Abiy’s silence not only diminish their likability but also tarnish Ethiopia’s international image.
Dual Social Media Identity Issues in the Ethiopian Government
Ethiopian government officials maintain both official and personal social media accounts, leading to confusion among users. For example, Dr. Eng Seleshi Bekele uses his personal Twitter account (@seleshi_b_a) alongside the Ethiopian Embassy US official Twitter account (@ethembassyUS), while Ambassador General Bacha Debele Buta alternates between his personal Twitter account (@ButaDubi) and the Ethiopian Embassy in Kenya official Twitter account (@EthiopiainKE).
Furthermore, PM Abiy Ahmed’s government officials restrict replies to their personal Twitter accounts, limiting direct communication to exclusive club members they follow or mention. Notably, officials like Ato Taye Atske Selassie, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Billene Aster Seyoum, Office of the Prime Minister – Press Secretary, and Nebiyu Tedla, Spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, only allow retweets, hindering access to feedback. This lack of transparency underscores the urgent need for clearer guidelines on social media usage by government officials.
Lack of Standardized Naming Patterns
Advocating for standardization in digital engagement across Ethiopian institutions is crucial, as the prevalence of unclear social media handles like the following examples demonstrates:
- @ethembassyUS
- @EmbassyDelhi
- @embassy_rome
- @EthioEmbassyUK
Despite my repeated calls and proposals for standardizing patterns for official Twitter handles, such as transforming handles like @ETHAmb {OriginalHandle}, my efforts have fallen on deaf ears.
Here’s a proposal for standardizing naming patterns based on existing examples:
- @EmbassyDelhi could become @ETHAmbIndia
- @embassy_rome could be updated to @ETHAmbRome
- @EthioEmbassyUK could transition to @ETHAmbUK
Applying similar changes to handles such as @EthiopiainChina, which could become @ETHAmbChina, and even individual accounts like @seleshi_b_a, which could adopt a more official handle like @ETHAmbUS, would contribute to a more coherent and professional digital presence for Ethiopian institutions.
Conclusion
As my article advocating for the maintenance of current Ethiopian government digital data and standardized social media practices within the Ethiopian government is published, I reflect on the journey of advocacy and the necessity for change in digital engagement policies. Despite the challenges and resistance faced, my efforts have aimed to contribute positively to awakening Ethiopia’s tourism, modernizing Ethiopian traditional pottery, fostering digital transformation, and, by extension, realizing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s vision for digital Ethiopian.
However, the absence of standardized rules and policies governing government officials’ social media behavior remains a critical issue. The lack of clarity in social media naming patterns, interchangeability between personal and official accounts, and restrictions on user engagement highlight the urgent need for reform.
In light of these challenges, and as a gesture of protest against the government’s inaction in implementing necessary reforms, I have made the decision to unfollow PM Abiy Ahmed’s official account (@PMEthiopia). This symbolic action serves as a reminder of the importance of accountability, transparency, and adherence to ethical standards in digital governance.
While I may be blocked from PM Abiy Ahmed’s personal Twitter account (@AbiyAhmedAli), which he uses for official purposes, my commitment to advocating for meaningful change in Ethiopia’s digital landscape remains unwavering. I believe that through collective efforts and continued dialogue, we can pave the way for a more transparent, inclusive, and effective digital governance framework in Ethiopia.
As Ethiopia progresses towards a digital future, it is imperative that we prioritize the establishment of clear rules and policies to govern social media usage, data ownership, and government officials’ online behavior. Together, we can harness the transformative power of digital technologies to build a more prosperous and equitable Ethiopia for all its citizens.
The writer, LJDemissie, who received assistance from AI technology developed by OpenAI, can be reached at LJDemissie@yahoo.com or on Twitter at @LJDemissie.
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Abiy Ahmed, the Fascist, trusted Satan’s blood