Ethiopian govt hails elections despite loses in parliament

ADDIS ABABA, May 17 (AFP) — The Ethiopian government on Tuesday welcomed the outcome of weekend general elections despite losing seats in urban areas to the opposition, in a briefing by Information Minister Barakat Simone.

The ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Front (EPRDF) was confident that it would soon form a new government with a parliamentary majority in both regional and federal levels.

“We have confirmed a majority in parliament at regional and federal levels. We are sure it will increase marginally because we are still waiting for reports from remote areas,” Barakat told reporters in Addis Ababa.

“The vote in urban areas went significantly for the opposition. The vote in the rural areas went for us. So it is no wonder that they got Addis Ababa,” he added.

The ruling party, which has been in power since 1991 when Prime Minister Meles Zenawi toppled Marxist dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam, conceded that it had lost all of Addis Ababa’s 23 parliamentary seats as well as the capital’s city council.

“I feel very proud because it was a very democratic process that has given us this result and losing the urban areas doesn’t mean the world,” said Barakat, who was also the EPRDF’s head of campaign.

National Election Board of Ethiopia’s (NEBE) officials could not confirm any result, either for the opposition or the ruling party, until Saturday. It was certain that the ruling party had swept the states of Oromis, Tigray and Gambella.

But there was scepticism among diplomats in the impoverished Horn of Africa country about the extent of the government victory.

“At this point in time, it is impossible for them to say they have won. It is still not clear,” said one diplomat who requested to remain unnamed.

Government officials speculated that the oppositon would get 30 to 35 percent of the vote, according diplomats.