Somali Democratic Party

The Somali Democratic Party (SDP; Somali: Xisbiga Dimuqraadiga Soomaalida), formerly the Ethiopian Somali People's Democratic Party, was a political party in Ethiopia, created by the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) after refusing Somali demands for self-determination in 1993. The EPRDF created a surrogate party called the Ethiopian Somali Democratic League which was one of many satellite organisations existing throughout Ethiopia.^[2] The organisation was led by Ahmed Shide.^[3][4]

Somali Democratic Party Xisbiga Dimuqraadiga Soomaalida
Leader	Ahmed Shide
Founded	1993
Dissolved	1 December 2019
Merger of	ESDL
Merged into	Prosperity Party[1]
Headquarters	Jijiga
Ideology	Somali interests
Political position	Centre-left
National affiliation	EPRDF
Website
www.spdp.org.et
Politics of Ethiopia Political parties Elections

History

Like the ESDL before it, the Somali Democratic Party was considered by many inhabitants of the Somali Region to be an "EPRDF puppet", who accused its members "of brutal repression and systematic massacres in ensuring the region stays under firm control".^[2] In the early 2000s its chairman was Mohamoud Dirir Gheddi.^[5]

The party observed its eleventh anniversary of its founding in Filtu, where numerous improvements to the infrastructure of the Liben Zone were announced.^[6]

In December 2019, the party merged with the Afar National Democratic Party (ANDP), the Amhara Democratic Party (ADP), the Benishangul-Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Front (BGPDUF), the Gambela People's Democratic Movement (GPDM), the Hareri National League (HNL), the Oromo Democratic Party (ODP) and the Southern Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement (SEPDM) to form the new Prosperity Party.^[7]

Notes

1. "Exclusive: Third day EPRDF EC discussing "Prosperity Party" Regulation. Find the draft copy obtained by AS". 18 November 2019.
2. "Ethnic Federalism and the Somali Region under the EPRDF" in Ethiopia: Army Commits Executions, Torture, and Rape in Ogaden, published 11 June 2008 Human Rights Watch (last accessed 10 December 2008)
3. Observer, Ethiopia (12 August 2018). "Ahmed Shide named chairman of the Somali region ruling party".
4. Dirir Mohamoud (Ethiopia) Archived 28 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine AfDevInfo website (accessed 14 May 2009)
5. Press Digest Volume 10, Issues 1-26. Anasir Publishers. 2003. p. 10.
6. "11th founding anniversary of Somali People Democratic Party celebrated"^{[permanent dead link‍]}, Ethiopian News Agency 4 July 2009 (accessed 1 November 2009)
7. Gedamu, Yohannes (13 December 2019). "The new political party of Ethiopia's Abiy holds much promise but faces significant hurdles". Quartz Africa. Quartz. Retrieved 15 December 2019.