Living Under Insecurity in East Wollega and Horo Guduru Wollega

For communities in East Wollega and Horo Guduru Wollega, particularly in Gida Ayana and Kiramu, insecurity has become part of everyday life. People face uncertainty when travelling, cultivating farmland, attending markets, sending children to school, or simply remaining in their villages.

Gida Ayana has experienced repeated insecurity along important transport routes. On 4 May 2025, armed men stopped a public transport vehicle travelling from Gida Ayana to Addis Ababa in Dicho kebele and abducted ten male passengers. According to residents interviewed by Addis Standard, two elderly men were released the following day while eight others remained missing at the time of reporting. Residents identified the perpetrators as suspected Fano militants. ACLED also recorded the incident and reported that suspected Fano militants abducted the ten passengers after stopping the vehicle.

Kiramu has also experienced prolonged violence and displacement. In December 2025, residents told Addis Standard that security conditions had deteriorated over several months. Local officials confirmed that more than 1,000 people had been displaced in recent incidents. Many of those affected came from Ashu Kutaye, Gudina Jiregna and Babu kebeles. Residents described repeated gunfire and clashes during the night and said that families fled their homes and agricultural land because they feared for their lives.

The insecurity affecting Kiramu is not new. Earlier violence in the district caused large scale displacement towards neighbouring Gida Ayana. Addis Standard previously reported that people fleeing violence in Kiramu sought safety in Gida Ayana and that civilians, including a district court judge, had been killed during attacks attributed by residents and local authorities to Fano militants.

The wider situation across East Wollega shows how insecurity affects far more than physical safety. When roads become dangerous, people reduce their movement. Farmers may struggle to reach their land or transport agricultural products. Traders may avoid particular routes. Families may postpone journeys because of fear of abduction. ACLED noted in May 2025 that abductions in Oromia and Amhara were affecting ordinary movement and causing people to avoid travel whenever possible.

Communities in Horo Guduru Wollega face similar threats. In Abe Dongoro district, residents reported that an attack in Homa Galessa on 29 August 2025 killed more than 25 people and left 21 others missing. One resident reported that 26 people had been killed. Residents and the Member of Parliament representing the district attributed the attack to Fano armed elements. These claims should be understood as reported allegations where independent investigation has not established responsibility.

The insecurity continued into 2026. On 26 March 2026, Addis Standard reported that residents in Abe Dongoro were avoiding voter registration because they feared for their safety. The report also referred to an attack on 3 March 2026 in which residents said four people were killed and more than 180 houses were burned across four kebeles, causing further displacement. Local authorities disputed the broader description of insecurity and maintained that conditions had improved sufficiently for people to participate in the election.

These incidents demonstrate that insecurity in Gida Ayana, Kiramu, East Wollega and Horo Guduru Wollega is not simply a series of isolated clashes. For civilians, its consequences include killings, abductions, displacement, destruction of homes and property, loss of livelihoods and restrictions on ordinary movement. Repeated violence also creates an atmosphere in which people may fear travelling, farming, participating in elections or returning to communities from which they have been displaced.

The protection of civilians must therefore remain the priority. Federal and regional authorities have a responsibility to provide effective security for civilians, investigate killings, abductions and destruction of property impartially, and ensure accountability where crimes are established. Armed groups must also cease attacks on civilians and respect the lives and property of people who have no part in armed conflict.

For the people of Gida Ayana, Kiramu, East Wollega and Horo Guduru Wollega, security has a simple meaning. It means being able to sleep in their own homes, travel safely on public roads, cultivate their land, take their products to market, educate their children and participate in community life without fear of being killed, abducted or displaced.