Ethiopian opposition reject latest election results

ADDIS ABABA, July 27 (AFP) — Ethiopian opposition parties Wednesday rejected partial results from the country’s disputed May polls that have so far given the ruling party and allied parties a lead.

The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) on Tuesday released results from 435 constituencies which gave the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and allied parties 263 seats against the opposition’s 172.

The opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) and United Ethiopian Democratic Front (UEDF) said they would not recognise the results.

“The CUD and UEDF will not accept the results announced by the NEBE on July 26,” the two parties said in a joint statement.

“If the people’s voice is to be respected and peace and stability made to prevail, the contested constituancies must be reexamined by a neutral body or there should be reelection in the 299 contested constituencies in an atmosphere free from abduction, beatings, imprisonments and general harrassment,” CUD’s vice chairman Berhanu Nega told reporters.

“Ethiopian people have been robbed of their vote,” Berhanu said, accusing the election body of not properly carrying out investigations into allegations of fraud.

“This proces is not credible because of the lack of independence of the NEBE, because of the persecutions, harrassment and threats our witnesses have endured,” UEDF deputy chief Beyane Petros said.

But NEBE’s head, Kemal Bedri, said the opposition’s demand was unacceptable.

“What they are demanding is really unacceptable for NEBE. The process we put in place was agreed by all the parties, they have even signed an agreement, if they have any complaint they can go to court,” Kemal said.

However, the election panel said this week that it would organise repeat polls in at least 15 constituencies where irregularities had occured.

The May 15 polls, which were the third multiparty elections since Prime Minister Meles Zenawi ousted the brutal regime of Mengistu Haille Mariam in 1991, have also been a subject of fierce contest between the ruling party and the opposition, both of whom have claimed victory.