The Mirage of Prosperity

By John

In the cradle of Ethiopia, a new gospel is sung, not from the sanctity of chapels but from the halls where power dwells. The ruling Prosperity Party has embraced a creed of illusion, where poverty is painted as a mere specter of the mind, a spiritual shadow to be banished by the light of faith. This doctrine, veiled in the silken threads of sacred text, has become the loom on which policies are woven—favoring the sheen of beauty over the depth of truth, the mirage of progress over the landscape of reality, and the comfort of the few over the needs of the many.

At the heart of this philosophy lies a perilous whisper: that poverty is but a trick of perception, a curse to be lifted by the alchemy of belief. Yet, this chant turns a blind eye to the mountains of systemic barriers—education unattained, health uncared for, wages unjust, and opportunities unseen. It denies the daily battles of millions, attributing their plight not to the failures of policy but to a supposed drought of spirit or resolve.

The government’s dance with beautification and grand edifices speaks of a profound disconnect from the heartbeat of Ethiopia’s people. These are but stage sets for the eyes of the world, yet they do little to mend the torn fabric of unemployment, inflation, and the displacement of souls.

The “corridor projects” stand as stark monuments to this misguidance, casting long shadows where once there were homes. Lives are uprooted, hearts displaced, all for a vision of advancement that serves only the elite. While these projects are celebrated as the dawn of new days, the human cost is shrouded in silence, birthing a new generation of the dispossessed.

Claims of vanquished homelessness echo from the lips of officials and clergy aligned with power, pointing to streets now cleansed of visible despair. But this is mere illusion, a curtain drawn over the stage of suffering. The homeless have not disappeared; they have merely been ushered into darker corners, out of sight but not out of need. This is not healing; it is a masquerade, a performance to deceive both the local hearts and the watching world.

This approach by the Prosperity Party is a betrayal of the luminous trust of the Ethiopian people. Instead of confronting the shadows of inflation, the hunger for food security, and the thirst for work, the government adorns itself with projects that do little to warm the lives of ordinary citizens. It replaces the substance of policy with the smoke of symbolism, choosing the ephemeral over the eternal.

This tactic also uses faith as a shield, exploiting the sacred to absolve itself of blame. Poverty is not a sin of the soul; it is born from the chains of inequality, the missteps of governance, and the misplacement of priorities.

Ethiopia’s genuine ascent to prosperity will not be found behind the veil of urban splendor or by casting blame upon the impoverished. It requires a bold confrontation with the systemic roots of disparity, a commitment to light the way for all its people, not just a select few.

Anything less than this light is not governance—it is a forsaking of the dawn.

Editor’s note : Views in the article do not necessarily reflect the views of borkena.com

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