Power failure during Ethiopia’s opposition rally technical: statement

ADDIS ABABA, May 8, 2005 (Xinhua) — The state-run Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) said Sunday the power interruption around Meskel Square when an opposition rally was underway, was a result of technical failure.

In a statement available to international media here, EEPCo recalled a massive rally organized by the opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) was staged at the square and the power interruption has adversely affected the rally.

EEPCo said the power interruption was nothing other than a technical problem.

After the power interruption was reported at 2:30 p.m. (1130 GMT), the corporation said it has swiftly acted to find and fix the problem in which it succeeded at 2:45 p.m. (1145 GMT).

It said the fact that all the roads to the square were closed by the rally has hampered communication and expressed sadness at the unfortunate incidence.

On Sunday, CUD supporters, the majority of whom were young people, rallied at the downtown Meskel Square. They were estimated to be between 1 to 1.2 million.

They thronged the Meskel Square just 24 hours after the ruling Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) held its campaign rally at the same venue ahead of the May 15 national elections.

Set up in late 2004, the opposition coalition that groups five parties will take to the country’s May 15 national elections to try to end the ruling party’s 14 years in power.

The ruling party is widely expected to win a third five-year term in the world’s extremely poor country, but observers say the ruling party’s parliamentary majority may dwindle under challenges from opposition candidates.