Farmers Buying Guns: The Impact of Uncertainty and Insecurity in Rural Ethiopia

After years of widespread protest, Ethiopia experienced a historic change of leadership in 2018. In addition to the positive changes that took place, the political reforms also brought forth uncertainty and, in some places, resulted in greater insecurity. This At-Issue article focuses upon one issue, the illegal weapons trade, which has expanded in scale and geography in the months and years that followed the historic change. Drawing upon interviews with people who purchased weapons during this time period in rural areas of one region, we present insight regarding the motivations driving the demand for weapons. We critically examine the proposed reasons for the expansion of the weapons trade in Ethiopia and reflect on what the trends in 2020 may imply for the future of insecurity and conflict in the country. While some reforms have taken place to regulate and control the illegal weapons trade, these initiatives have been limited in scope. Given the rise of uncertain and insecurity, and the potential for even more deadly violence with more people purchasing weapons, transformative federal and regional leadership is required to address the illegal weapons trade.