Ethiopia’s ruling party to hold its 7th convention
By Tesfa-alem Tekle
September 13, 2008 (ADDIS ABABA) — The governing party of Ethiopia, EPRDF, will hold its 7th convention in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Regional state capital, Awassa next week, a higher official of the organization Said.
Bereket Simon, Public Relations advisor to the Prime Minister and head of the party’s organizational affairs in a recent press conference said four member parties of EPRDF will hold their convention beginning September 15 to elect candidates who will be members of the party’s executive committee and leaders that will push the party for the next two years.
When asked if there will be changes in the leadership, Bereket said the convention will set up the party’s leadership but he declined to confirm if there will definitely be any change of leadership.
“While the assembly elects the leadership, the party’s council will elect the secretary and deputy secretaries according to party regulation. I can’t say now if there is going to be any change in the process.” He said
Beyond electing leaderships, the assembly will examine a two year performance of the organization and is expected to point out the strong sides and weaknesses faced in the path the party has been following to bring good governance, political, Socio-economic changes, and democratic rule in the nation.
The four members that make up the ruling party, over the past week have been holding separate conferences ahead, to set up their leader ship and to examine their performance in separate journey they did in the past two years.
The major wing of EPRDF, Tigray Peoples liberation Front (TPLF),earlier this week in its separate conference in Mekelle town, elected prime Minster Meles Zenawi as chairman and foreign minister Seyoum Mesfin as deputy.
As to the allegation that EPRDF categorizes medias and opposition parties as rent seekers, Bereket Simon said “I don’t think we ventured into hasty generalization. The party’s report is based on the understanding that as there are developmental and democratic forces there are also the rent seekers.”
“There are those in the media and opposition parties who show tendencies towards rent seeking. I don’t think you can hide this fact. We can prove that there are some media who chose to follow that path.” He added
“We, in the EPRDF, do not want to simply consider them as enemies. We prefer to show them that there is a better way i.e., the developmental and democratic way is preferable to rent seeking. That’s what we believe. We will try to strengthen our relationship with them in this way.” He assured.
(ST)