Ethiopia's Sidama vote overwhelmingly for independence.
Sidama people celebrate after hearing the referendum results (Reuters/T. Negeri)
Ethiopia's Sidama people have voted in favor of autonomous rule by a huge margin. The result may inspire other groups to push for autonomy in Africa's second-most populous nation.
Residents of Ethiopia's Sidama zone voted in favor of a new federal region, with about 98.5% choosing autonomous rule, the country's electoral board said on Saturday. Voter turnout was 99.8%.

Abiy Ahmed and Ethiopia's ethno-natonalism
Sidama men queuing to vote on an own federal state in a 20 November 2019 referendum in Ethiopia (Getty Images/AFP/M. Tewelde)
The official preliminary results of a referendum held on Wednesday were released by the deputy head of the National Electoral Board, Wubshet Ayele, in the regional capital, Hawassa, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) south of Addis Ababa.
"The November 20 polls was peaceful and didn't have major logistical challenges, although in some places there were larger than projected queues of voters," Ayele said.
By creating their own federal region, Sidamas people — Ethiopia's fifth most numerous ethnicity — hope to regain control of land resources, political representation as well as to reaffirm their cultural identity.

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Long road to independence

Ethiopia's Sidama zone, home to about 4 million residents, is part of the country's Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region (SNNPR), home to over 40 ethnic groups.
For decades the Sidama people have been longing to break free form the SNNPR and gain regional independence, a right enshrined in the constitution. But years of autocratic rule have failed to fulfill this provision.

Rapid change
Saturday's result paves the way for Sidama to become Ethiopia's 10th state, but it also could act as inspiration for other ethnic groups keen to carve out their own region.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the move was an "expression of the democratization path Ethiopia has set out on."
Ethiopia, once one of Africa's most repressive nations, has been undergoing rapid changes since Abiy was appointed last year, promising to forge a more open society.
Last month, Abiy won the Nobel Peace Prize for his political reforms and for making peace with Eritrea.
https://m.dw.com/en/ethiopias-sidama-vote-overwhelmingly-for-independence/a-51383953

But elsewhere, they will think it's war. Just common referendum them dey fear.





Wetin Buhari no go see for London.

Buhari will not like this ..it's time for Nigerian referendum jare

Best way to avoid needless wars and death.

Congrat to them

trash. sidama is just a state and still part of ethopia. it is not a country. they voted to have a state (federal) and not a country.

iPod already jubilating on a more state created in Ethiopia.

It's not a new nation, but a new state like Osun state. Go school, they no gree.

Your f0olish zik fought to remove succession clause from the Constitution of Nigeria.

Referendum is not war, it's just a channel and avenue for people to decide the way forward.
#referendumnotwar

I beg, who get RIHANA phone number












I lost my phone and I didn't do sim backup.

fake news..a new state,not a new country.

Enice:
trash. sidama is just a state and still part of ethopia. it is not a country. they voted to have a state (federal) and not a country.

Go back and read the news and understand it.

From the news. it's new state or region not country but when will such happen in this country

Sunnymatey:
Best way to avoid needless wars and death.

They don’t want a referendum because no one needs to tell them which way it will go!

Nigeria was created by a military man called Frederick Lugard

The 36 states of Nigeria were created by one military man or other

The 744 local governments were created by one military man or the other

When will you have a referendum to decide what you create?

Congrats to them.
They achieved the Independence because they didn't insult every tribes

iPod & lie
Na state creation

PFRB:


Go back and read the news and understand it.

you go back and reread the post. Sidama is not a country but now an autonomous state in Ethiopia. the referendum created a state not a country.