ADDIS ABABA – President Yoweri Museveni has praised the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and his government for accurately documenting the country’s recent history by inaugurating the Unity Park.
Museveni made the commendation Thursday evening as he joined several regional leaders to witness the colourful inauguration of the park in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
“I congratulate Prime Minister Ahmed and the Government of Ethiopia for bringing out clearly the history of Ethiopia through this park. This is a result of ideological clarity. People without ideological clarity tend to look at history in a fragmented manner,” said President Museveni.
Indicating that the project would foster unity in Ethiopia, President Museveni explained how his own government has been accommodative even of those who had previously opposed it, in what he called a “broad-based government”.
ABOUT THE PARK
Unity Park was previously the palace of the 19th century famous Ethiopian Emperor, Menelik II. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali’s government has refurbished and transformed it into a modern-day park that tells Ethiopia’s 19th and 20th-century history.
Sitting on an expanse of 40 hectares, the park has several attractions, including a life-size waxwork of Emperor Haile Selassie, who ruled Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. It also features a museum, egg house, aquarium and a zoo.
The park characterized by lush green belts and dotted with a modern irrigation system, will be open to the public at a fee in a move aimed at boosting domestic tourism.
Other leaders’ remarks
Explaining the rationale behind the project, Prime Minister Abiy said the park was a manifestation of the “Medemer” idea (or synergy), and symbolizes the “Ethiopians’ ability to come together for a common goal and cross the finish line by, creating exquisite lasting prints of our collective worth”.
President Kenyatta paid tribute to the Ethiopian Government for beautifying Addis Ababa City through the park project and also saluted Prime Minister Ahmed for the political reforms in Ethiopia. He said they were done with the desire to promote peace.
President Salva Kiir used the occasion to thank Ethiopia for supporting his country’s liberation struggle, saying the South Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement was born in Ethiopia in 1983.
Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok of Sudan said his country was now stable and called for closer diplomatic relationship between Sudan, Ethiopia and the other countries.
