Ethiopian ruling party to present candidates for national elections
ADDIS ABABA, Dec 16, 2004 (ENA) — The Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) — Ruling coalition — has announced that it is presenting 1,806 candidates representing member parties for the upcoming national and regional elections.
Women candidates constitute 30 per cent of the overall candidature of the front representing ANDM (Amhara National Democratic Movement), OPDO (Oromo People’s Democratic organization], SEPDM (South Ethiopia People’s Democratic Movement) and TPLF (Tigray People’s Liberation Front, core party in the coalition). It said 477 of the candidates will be vying for seats in the House of People’s Representatives and 1,329 in regional state councils.
The front has consulted with members through meetings to enhance public participation in the upcoming elections and to ensure their democratic nature as per the experiences gained during the past two election processes.
In addition to raising the awareness of members on detailed directive issues pertinent to the election, the front has organized ad hoc election affairs follow-up committees from regional down to the grassroots level.
Nomination is nearing completion by all member organizations and candidates will be eligible after they undergo critical comments by members and the public, information obtained from EPRDF office indicated.
ANDM will be represented by 137 candidates vying for seats in the House of People’s Representatives with women constituting 30 per cent. The movement’s contenders running for seats in the regional state council numbers 294, of whom women representation stands at more than 40 per cent.
OPDO presents 179 nominees for the House of People’s Representatives with a 30 per cent candidacy taken by women. It also presents 537 candidates for seats in the regional state council with a 20 per cent women representation, OPDO public coordination office head Getachew Beda’o said.
SEPDM presents 123 candidates for the upper house of parliament and 346 for the regional state council, movement public coordination bureau head Tsegaye Mamo said. SEPDM is pulling efforts to pool 30 per cent women representation.
TPLF has announced preparations to bring in 38 candidates who will be vying for seats in the House of People’s Representatives and 152 in the regional state council with 35 and 40 per cent women representations respectively, TPLF Central Committee member Gobezay Woldearegay said.
Upon completion of nomination activities in all the state’s concerned, a report providing for the past five years performances of the front and the member parties will be tabled for public hearing.