The Oromia State Constitution: Hiding Its Light under a Bushel?

Abstract

Oromia Regional State has had its own constitution since the Transitional Period. This state constitution has served since then as an instrument of self-rule for the Oromo people, with the 2001 revised version currently in effect. In actuality, however, the document is highly obscure and has not been applied ade-quately to ensure self-rule. A significant number of the citizens of the regional state are unaware that it has its own constitution, let alone observe it and rely on it as a safeguard of their rights and freedoms. As a result, it has long been a little-implement-ed contract. This study seeks to explore the role and practical relevance of the regional state’s constitution in promoting effec-tive self-rule. It aims to identify the major factors affecting the relevance of the state constitution, and to this end employed a largely qualitative method of data collection and analysis. Data were collected via interviews, questionnaires, formal and infor-mal discussions, and documentary analysis, as well as from ob-servation of the regional state’s past and present dynamics. The findings of the research indicate that although the FDRE Consti-tution grants wide constitutional space to subnational constitu-ent units, Oromia Regional State has not been able to utilize the available space exhaustively in adopting a constitution which is legitimate and relevant. The state constitution fails to represent the state and its people or engender alternative public policy that serves the interests of the Oromo people. It not only lacks legitimacy and public consent, but is scarcely known or applied. Lack of awareness, under-utilization, extreme similarity with and over-reliance on the national constitution, inaccessibility, and refusal to recognize minority nationalities – these are criti-cal deficiencies that account for the constitution’s poor standing. As such, the recommendation is the Oromia state constitution be revised on the basis of meaningful public consultation to allevi-ate its identified drawbacks and make it a legitimate institution