A state of emergency was declared on 9 October 2016 by Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, after de facto taking effect the previous day.

[9] After the downfall of Mengistu Haile Mariam's military regime in 1991, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front took over the state.

After implementing the federal system,[10] there was different ethnic based conflicts over natural resources, lands, and others factors.

Ambassador on human rights Tom Malinkowski wrote (in remarks later attributed to Secretary of State Kerry by the L.A. Times) "security forces have continued to use excessive force to prevent Ethiopians from congregating peacefully, killing and injuring many people and arresting thousands.

Corruption, poor administration, injustice, lack of equal economic benefits and losing their land in the name of investments are some of the causes that triggered the movement.

Due to corruption in the country, human rights violations and lack of equal economic benefits, the opposition has been accepted by most protesters.

Tourist traffic outside the capital city, Addis Ababa, decreases due to different security reasons.

Most economists also predict that this declaration will highly affect the income of the only internet service provider in the country called Ethio telecom.

[24] Deutsche Welle reported in February 2017 that the government claims 20,000 people are arrested in Oromia, while opposition groups claim 70,000 people are arrested; the government has indicated it will release 22,000 prisoners, having released 11,000 prisoners on February 3.