The 2021 Irecha holiday is being celebrated peacefully in Ethiopia with large scale participation nationwide, despite anti-government calls for boycott. The Oromo holiday commemorating the end of winter in Oromia has recently transformed into an Ethiopian thanksgiving holiday.

The celebrations have been colorful in various Oromia locations and only the third time the Oromo holiday was observed in the Ethiopian capital city Addis Ababa, all since arrival of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. 

Defenders of Oromo nationalist hardliner Jawar Mohammed and his OMN media advocated for Ireecha boycott, while OLA militant activists urged festival attendants to plot uprising inside Addis Ababa. However, both calls seem to have failed.

After decades of past governments preventing large scale Ireecha celebrations outside Bishoftu town, independent analysts say the holiday recently being moved into Addis Ababa displays the confidence of Abiy’s ruling party and freedom of expression. 

In 2016, hundreds of Oromos were killed in Bishoftu during Ireecha after anti-government chants were heard during the festival.