Ethiopia Insight published on 21 October 2025 a commentary titled "Guns Over Governance: The Militarization of Tigray's Politics" by Gebreselassie Kiros Hailu, Mekelle University and member of the Tigray Independence Party.
The author argues that while Tigray's Defense Forces achieved significant battlefield victories during the war with central government forces, their lack of political and diplomatic engagement undercut broader strategic goals.
Military leaders then dominated the Tigray People's Liberation Front following the Pretoria Agreement that ended the war. Tigray's reconstruction and democratization have stagnated ever since then. The military has been synonymous with corruption and political opportunism. Tigray is at a perilous crossroads; the dream of a peaceful and democratic Tigray risks vanishing altogether.
