Ethiopia’s Borana Community Celebrates Unique 8-year Leadership Tradition
Thousands of people have gathered in the GADA ceremony in southern Ethiopia over the past week, a historic event that marks the tranquil transfer of power among the people of Borana every eight years. The new Abbaa Gadaa Guyo Boru Guyo has been identified for its leadership potential as a teenager and will now manage the Borana community in southern Ethiopia and northwestern Kenya. Although the GADA system excludes women from governance positions, it allows them to attend community meetings and register their opinions on issues. Besides that, women play a key role in the festival as they build accommodation for tourists and prepare food for their duration. The event took place for more than a week and celebrated a century-old model of democratic governance based on tradition.
source: BBC
