Unified Stance on the Capital’s Status Marks a Defining Moment in Ethiopia’s National Conversation

By Daandii Ragabaa

As Ethiopia’s first-ever national dialogue approaches its conclusion, the representatives of the Oromo people have delivered a clear and resounding message: Finfinne is Oromo, and its status is non-negotiable.

The national dialogue, convened as a historic attempt to heal the deep wounds of Ethiopia’s past and forge a path toward lasting peace, has become a critical arena for addressing long-standing grievances. For the Oromo people, the question of Finfinne—known internationally as Addis Ababa—stands at the centre of these deliberations.

A Unified Oromo Position

At the dialogue table, Oromo representatives—including Obbo Qajeelaa Mardaasaa, Obbo Sanyii Nagaasaa, and Dr. Saamuel Kiflee, President of Finfinne University—have presented a unified position on the status of the capital city.

Their message is unequivocal: Finfinne is Oromo, and the issue concerns the Oromo people alone. The representatives have been vocal in expressing that the historical, constitutional, and cultural connections between the Oromo people and their ancestral capital cannot be dismissed or negotiated away by any political actors.

Dr. Saamuel Kiflee has reportedly emphasized the importance of making the Oromo voice heard within the dialogue. The very presence of this unified stance is said to have caused significant unease among those who have long claimed Finfinne as their own.

The Foundation of the Oromo Claim

The Oromo position is rooted in history and law. As the Macha-Tulama Self-Help and Development Association recently declared, “Menelik committed a great crime against the Oromo people when he separated Finfinne from its Oromo owners.” The association has detailed the atrocities of that era, where Oromo people were systematically dispossessed of their land, their dignity, and their lives.

The suffering has now spanned three generations. From the initial dispossession under Menelik, to the brutal repression under the Derg regime, and now to the present day, the Oromo people have paid a heavy price. During the Derg era, many Oromo gave their lives for Finfinne.

Today, the wound remains unhealed.

The Oromo representatives at the national dialogue have argued that Finfinne is an integral part of Oromia, situated on Oromo land. The city’s very name, Finfinne—meaning “place of hot springs”—is Oromo, a testament to its indigenous roots.

The Question of Constitutional Interpretation

Central to the debate is the interpretation of the Ethiopian constitution. Article 49 of the FDRE Constitution does far more to support the Oromo claim than the “city of all nations” narrative often invoked by the ruling party.

Article 49(5) specifically states that Oromia has a “special interest” in Addis Abeba regarding the provision of social services, the utilisation of natural resources, and other similar matters, as well as joint administrative matters arising from the location of Addis Abeba within the State of Oromia.

This clause, repeatedly violated according to Oromo advocates, represents a constitutional recognition of Oromia’s claim over the city.

The National Dialogue: A Tool of Deception?

However, the Oromo representatives have expressed profound concern that the national dialogue is not being used as a genuine mechanism for reconciliation and justice.

According to the Macha-Tulama Association, “The agenda of Finfinne and Dirree Dhawaa has been brought to the national dialogue to weaken the Oromo people.” The association further declared that “the old politics of the Abyssinian elite continues, refusing to step back from the land that rightfully belongs to Oromo.”

Critics argue that the dialogue commission has been hijacked by the familiar machinery of political manipulation. Instead of acknowledging historical grievances, it has become a shield for the perpetrators of genocide and a tool to legitimise the ongoing dispossession of Oromo land.

A City Built on Bones

For the Oromo people, the call for justice regarding Finfinne is not a political slogan but a demand rooted in historical truth.

“The city we now know as Finfinne was not established upon empty land,” one Oromo commentator has written. “It was built through genocide. When the army of Emperor Menelik settled upon this land, they did not find a vacant wilderness waiting for civilisation. They found the Oromo people—indigenous, thriving, rooted in the soil for generations. And they systematically removed them.”

The Oromo Position: Unwavering and Clear

The representatives at the national dialogue have articulated a position that reflects the will of the Oromo people:

1. Finfinne is Oromo, by history and by law. It must be recognised as an integral part of Oromia.
2. The national dialogue must not be a platform to undermine Oromo rights. The process should be used to address historical grievances, not to further marginalise the Oromo people.
3. There is no need for negotiations or agreements regarding Finfinne. The question of securing Finfinne as part of Oromia is part of Oromia’s liberation from a system of domination.
4. Finfinne should be placed under the administrative jurisdiction of Oromia, as an integral part of the Oromo homeland.

Looking Forward

As the national dialogue approaches its conclusion, the Oromo representatives have made it clear that they will not accept any outcome that denies the Oromo people’s legitimate claim to their ancestral capital.

The Oromo people’s voice has been heard—loud and clear. The challenge now lies in whether the national dialogue will genuinely address the historical injustices that have defined the relationship between the Oromo people and the Ethiopian state for over a century.

Finfinne is Oromo.

Oromia’s rightful capital must be recognised.

The struggle for justice continues.

Injifannoon Ummata Oromoo!

Finfinne haa jabaattu!

This feature article is dedicated to the Oromo representatives at the national dialogue and all those who continue to speak truth to power in the pursuit of justice for the Oromo people.