Unpacking the politics of legitimacy in Ethiopia: A focus on North Wollo and Waghimra people

This study deals about the political legitimacy of the incumbent government in Ethiopia, taking the case of north Wollo and Waghimra zones. The study employed a qualitative research approach, and the data are collected from both primary and secondary sources through key informants, FGDs, in depth interview, observation, and document analysis. For the good of the study, theoretical and conceptual related literatures are critically reviewed. The political legitimacy and de-legitimacy of any political regime could be measured in its impacts of input and output sources. Legitimacy manifested in demand and claims. It is found that Ethiopia has undergone a political transformation and regime change in 2018 with assumed optimistic reforms and changes when the Abiy Ahmed come to power. Nevertheless, as per the findings, the legitimacy and de-legitimacy of the political order and authority of the incumbent government has been examined through looking at different phases. The first phase is the time when the prime minister came to power and promised for a lot of reforms and changes through widening the political platform. Second, election time compliance and the EPRDF transfer to prosperity party are also another occasion which determine the legitimacy and de-legitimacy of the incumbent government. Thirdly, post-election period with a continual repressive political order, civil war, and extended armed war particularly in norther Ethiopia. Finally, the bloody war in northern Ethiopia, its post-war reconstruction, and the ongoing armed war and its humanitarian crisis in Ahara region have highly blurred the relationship between the people and the government and caused for legitimacy crisis of the government in the region. Moreover, as per the find, there are different challenges facing the government to secure its legitimacy.