(Befekadu Z. Hailu)
[Today marks the 10th Anniversary of Irreechaa 2016, a turning point for the then-Oromo protests. In my book, "Lost in Transition: Deceit and Conflict in Ethiopia (2014 - 2022)," I dedicated a chapter to its history, its tragic turnout, and the claims and counterclaims that followed. Read the chapter herebelow.]
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Ireechaa is an annual festival celebrated as part of the rituals of Waaqeffannaa, an indigenous faith system of the Oromo people. The festival marks the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the harvesting season, symbolizing the flourishing of new life and fertility. Ireechaa is a moment of gratitude to Waaqa (Sky/God) for the blessings and mercies he has provided throughout the year. While primarily a religious festival, Irreechaa has evolved to encompass cultural and political dimensions, reflecting the Oromo people's history, identity, and aspirations. Most Oromo people are followers of Islam and Christianity; however, this festival brings together millions of people from diverse backgrounds, making it a popular cultural and political event in Ethiopia.[1]
Irreechaa became a platform to channel grievances,
criticisms, and resistance against state repression and lack of freedom. Irreechaa 2016, which took place on
October 2, 2016, exemplified how the festival is as much a political platform
as a cultural and religious event.
“Down, Down, Woyane!”
In 2016, Haile-Mariam Desalegn was Ethiopia's Prime Minister and the chairperson of the ruling coalition EPRDF; however, many in opposition considered him a “puppet” of the TPLF.[2] Later, in an article published on Foreign Policy, he admitted that the Tigray People’s Liberation Front dominated the Coalition, while arguing that there was no moral equivalence between the TPLF and the new federal administrators. He said, “I confess, a TPLF-dominated coalition ruled Ethiopia shrewdly for 27 years.”[3] The number of years cited includes his rule, which lasted for six years. It is with this conviction that the Oromo Protests targeted the TPLF (also known as Woyane) rather than the larger coalition, the EPRDF, or Oromia’s ruling party, OPDO, in particular. Haile-Mariam belonged to the Wolayita ethnic minority group from SNNPR. He chaired the Southern Ethiopia Peoples’ Democratic Movement (SEPDM) and the EPRDF.
The 2016 festival, which took place in Bishoftu, a town just
east of Addis Ababa, coincided with heightened protests. Anticipating
demonstrations, the government deployed a substantial security force, including
masked riot police and snipers, to patrol the festival grounds alongside
attendees who had travelled from across Oromia. Despite the tension, the
atmosphere remained vibrant and colorful.
In his book published in 2025, Jawar wrote that “the
government, suspecting that Irreechaa could turn into a protest, prepared to control
and thwart it. Qeerroo,
meanwhile, continued to prepare to stage a spectacle that would be heard
worldwide, turning the festival into a protest march.”[4]
