In the coming few days, Kinijit International Leadership, the group that has been delegated to represent the top leaders of the Coalition for Unity & Democracy Party (Kinijit), will elect a new chairman and restructure itself.

Ever since this committee was formed in May 2006, it had faced a series of internal and external challenges, mainly due to severe lack of leadership. Five months into its existence, four of its members led by the chairman split and claimed that the committee doesn’t exist any more, and that the jailed leaders in Qaliti did not authorize it. Several months later, after exposing the leaders in Qaliti to extreme dangers and hardships, finally, last weekend, an agreement was reached between the splinter group and the rest of the committee members to keep the committee united. All of them now publicly acknowledge that Kinijit International is the legitimate and sole representative of the jailed leaders. This is after 4 months of mediation by two senior members of the Kinijit Central Council who were sent to Washington DC by the leaders in Qaliti to resolve the crisis. Meanwhile, as we all know, the struggle has suffered an incalculable damage.

So what is next?

What is important now is how will Kinijit move forward under the leadership of its International Committee. One of the most important first steps should be electing a strong, competent individual to the chairmanship position.

The restructuring and election of top officials that will take place in the next few days will determine the very survival of Kinijit as a viable political party. Although under the existing rule committee members elect the top executives among themselves, considering the seriousness of the decision, Kinijit members and supporters around the world must be given a chance to air their views.

As a supporter of Kinijit, Ethiopian Review would like to make its own recommendations:

1- The two mediators who are currently in Washington DC to conduct the elections.
2- Establish a set of qualifications.
3- Qualifications to the chairmanship position to include knowledge of Ethiopian and world politics, strong no-nonsense result-oriented leadership style, commitment to work full time, and the ability to articulate Kinijit’s policies and plans.

To elect some one who doesn’t meet these qualifications is tantamount to passing a death sentence on Kinijit, while Woyanne is preparing to do the same thing on its top leaders.

Members of the Kinijit International Leadership have so far failed their leaders in Qaliti, and most importantly, they failed the people of Ethiopia. They have shown themselves to be “ye ahya bal…” by failing to rescue their leaders who are currently being brutalized by Woyanne thugs.

The Kinijit International Leadership Committee is provided with another chance to lead, and for its members to redeem themselves. Please do the right thing.