In what can be seen as yet another test for Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, thousands of people from the Wolayta ethnic group, in the southern part of the country, are staging demonstrations demanding their own regional state.

This comes weeks after the Sidama, another ethnic group in the area, voted in a referendum to form their own regional state.

With a population of more than three million, the Wolayta is Ethiopia’s sixth-largest ethnic group.

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When the Sidama went to the polls in November in the country’s first referendum in decades, some said other groups might be encouraged to make similar demands. Now, that push is getting stronger from the Wolayta.

Activists, elders, and tuk tuk drivers have held demonstrations in the past few days demanding a referendum.

Since the mid-1990s, Ethiopia has had nine regional states structured largely along ethnic and linguistic lines. Sidama is set to become the 10th.

The Wolayta, like the Sidama, have been part of the Southern People’s Nations and Nationalities Region.

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Besides the Wolayta, at least seven other ethnic groups have shown interest in forming their own regions.

These requests come as Ethiopia is preparing for a general election next year, putting additional pressure on Prime Minister Abiy.

vanguard