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President Uhuru Kenyatta has broken his silence on the security crisis in Ethiopia after the government declared a state of emergency, following the outbreak of war.
In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, November 3, President Kenyatta said he had worked tirelessly and diligently since the break out of the fighting, to try to bring an end to the terrible crisis.
“I have lent the full weight of my office in insisting that despite the pertaining circumstances surrounding the crisis, the fighting must stop!
“I have consulted with my colleague Heads of State of Africa, with Heads of State of other great and powerful nations in the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, the European Union ( EU ), among many others in an effort to try to bring an end to this crisis,” Uhuru stated.
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President Uhuru Kenyatta with Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali
He expressed disappointment that one year later, the situation has not calmed but has in fact deteriorated.
President Kenyatta explained that no amount of intervention or persuasion will work unless parties get the political will to engage in dialogue.
“The lack of meaningful dialogue between the protagonists has been particularly disturbing to me and today, I once again call on all well-meaning men and women of Ethiopia to come together and find a solution to help find peace at this critical time.
“The men and women of the Government of Ethiopia, led by my dear brother in leadership, the Prime Minister, as well as the men and women who constitute the leadership that is fighting the Government must find a reason to cease the fighting immediately and to dialogue,” Kenyatta said.
How the Ethiopia war erupted
On November 4, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a military operation against regional troops in Tigray, which sparked the war.
He said he did so in retaliation for an attack on a military installation in the area that housed government forces.
After months of squabbling between Abiy's administration and leaders of Tigray's leading political party, the conflict escalated.
The party was at the heart of power for over three decades until being marginalized by the prime minister, who took office in 2018 following anti-government rallies.
PM Abiy sought changes, but when Tigray opposed, the political turmoil devolved into war.