The recent interview granted to the former president of Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State, Abdi Ilay, has sent shockwaves through the Ethiopian diaspora and the inhabitants of the region. For eight years, this individual presided over a sophisticated machinery of repression that claimed the lives of thousands.
The interview did more than just create apprehension—it reopened deep-seated wounds for those who survived his tenure—a period synonymous with systematic extrajudicial killings and the mass incarceration of innocent civilians. However, the 43-minute segment ultimately served a different purpose: it unmasked a man who is seemingly oblivious to the gravity of his crimes. Rather than offering the remorse or accountability one might expect from a man who has spent years in jail, he instead attempted a clumsy political rebranding, signaling an intent to return to public life without ever acknowledging the blood on his hands.
Abdi Ilay and the TPLF Era
To understand the rise of Abdi Ilay, one must look at the failure of the TPLF-led government to deliver on the promises of genuine ethnic federalism and democratization. When the Somali people felt betrayed by the central government under the EPRDF regime, the resulting civil unrest and armed struggle presented a problem for the government. They didn’t need a statesman; they needed a ruthless enforcer.
Abdi’s trajectory was not defined by merit, intellectual prowess, or a popular mandate. Instead, he ascended the ranks through the security apparatus, starting as an informant and eventually founding the Liyu Police—a paramilitary force that became his personal instrument of terror. His presidency was not a political appointment in the traditional sense; it was a reward for his willingness to wage a brutal war against his own kinsmen to secure the TPLF’s interests.
The Identity Trap: Weaponizing Patriotism
In the complex landscape of Ethiopian politics, identity and ethnicity are often used as tools for resource allocation and power-sharing. While scholars debate the merits of Primordialism versus Instrumentalism, Abdi’s rhetoric in the interview was far more cynical. By repeatedly asserting that he was “born an Ethiopian from his mother’s womb,” he wasn’t making a philosophical statement—he was using a classic “loyalty test.” By positioning himself as the “ultimate Ethiopian,” he implicitly cast doubt on the loyalty of other Somali-Ethiopians. This is a page taken directly from an apartheid-era playbook: creating a hierarchy of citizenship where his “patriotism” is used as a shield to justify his past atrocities. It is a desperate attempt to appeal to nationalist sentiments at the federal level while alienating the very people he once governed.
A Divided Narrative: The Federal vs. Regional Deception
A peculiar and dishonest narrative has emerged from his camp, suggesting a rift between the Federal Prosperity Party and the Somali Regional leadership. In his interview, he attempted to praise Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Mayor of Addis Ababa while simultaneously undermining the progress made by the Regional president, Mustafa Omer. This is a transparent attempt at “divide and conquer” politics.
Mustafa is not an independent actor; he is the regional architect of the Prosperity Party’s mission. To suggest that the Federal government’s successes are separate from the Somali Region’s progress is a logical fallacy. Abdi’s attempts to flatter the Prime Minister are particularly galling, as the current federal leadership consists of those who actively dismantled the repressive system he helped build. They are reformers who understand the difference between a genuine leader and a “wolf disguised in a sheep’s clothing.” Somali region witnessed sustainable peace and development progress in the past years since Abdi Ilay was removed from the regional power in 2018.
Conclusion
The interview revealed a man who has learned nothing from his downfall or his time in prison. While he offered a hollow apology to the Oromo people—a calculated political move—he remained deafeningly silent regarding the thousands of Somalis he massacred and the religious sites he desecrated in Jigjiga.
Abdi Ilay remains to be a man whose only legacy is the trail of broken lives he left behind, lost in his own delusions of grandeur, seemingly unaware that the world has moved past his era of darkness. The interview did not signal a comeback; it only confirmed why he must never be allowed near power again.
Ali Abdi is member of the Karamarada Group—a group of Somali Regional State citizens who are interested in promoting democracy and good governance. He can be reached at: [email protected]
Contributed by Ali Abdi
