Events that have further dampened expectations of a softening of the ruling party position are more repressive prosecution of journalists and opposition activists the use of a much criticised anti-terrorism law and the continued imprisonment of high-profile Oromo opposition politicians Bekele Gerba and Merera Gudina detained last year (AC Vol 56 No 25 'Greater Addis' anger)...
The students are calling for a halt to the government's Addis Ababa and the Surrounding Oromia Special Zone Integrated Development Plan better known as the Addis Master Plan which according to Bekele Gerba the deputy leader of the opposition Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) will see the capital expand by 21 times its current size...