We want tractors to beat poverty, not armored vehicles: PM

Addis Ababa, February 19, 2020 (FBC) –Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed addressed a crowd of 60,000 people gathered this morning at Worabe stadium.

The Prime Minister arrived in Worabe town, Silte zone, in the Southern Nation Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP) regional state to hold consultation with the residents.

In his remarks, the Prime Minister said “in order to ensure Ethiopia’s unity and peace, we should bring development, not Kalashnikov rifle or armored vehicles (tanks).”

“Arming youngsters in the name of protecting unity and togetherness is to teach them about war. Let us arm them with a pen and a pencil, a Bible and a Koran and not with weapons.

“We want tractors to beat poverty, school to defeat illiteracy and health facilities to fight disease,” the Prime Minister indicated.

“We should join hands and work together for peace, unity and to deliver prosperity,” he said.

“The people of Silte are known for their strong work and dedication for development. They know that citizenship is like a river, their origin is Silte while their destination is the whole wide world.”

“Their journey is one of Medemer. Medmer is wider than a line and therefore we chose the wider road to journey towards prosperity without tiring and slumbering.”

“We do not slumber because we inherited a country full of debt. Talking about debt does not mean paying it. We work for a better and debt free future.

“We also understand that the people of Silte have questions that are not answered yet. In Medemer, we will put in our best efforts to respond to each question progressively.”

“We will continue our journey of Medmer by correcting and straightening those who attempt to divide us with race and religion.”

The Prime Minister also held this afternoon discussion with about 1,000 residents from woredas’ in Silte zone.

He opened the session by thanking the people of Jimma, Hararge, Somali region and other areas who recently expressed their support to the reform and carried messages of peace. He assured that he has taken those messages to his heart.

The Prime Minister responded to a series of questions raised by the inhabitants of the Silte Zone.

The questions focused on infrastructure, good governance and the current national situations.

He stated that the government will do everything in its capacity to improve the aforementioned issues and asked the communities to do their part.

It was raised that the issue of forming additional regions was addressed in the earlier discussions with community representatives from the different areas of SNNPR.

It was noted that regions will not be established by the number of nation nationalities. At the same time, the people’s right to self-governance will remain respected.