Ethiopian Electoral Board says investigations to be finalized next week

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, July 21, 2005 (ENA) — The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) says 18 Complaint Investigation Panels (CIPs) assigned in the second round by NEBE to probe alleged election frauds would be deployed to constituencies on Friday.

NEBE deputy head Tesfaye Mengesha told ENA on Thursday that 13 CIPs would head to the Amhara State while three CIPs to the South Ethiopia Peoples’ State.

He said one CIP would probe alleged election irregularities in three constituencies in the Oromia State.

Another CIP would investigate into complaints in two constituencies in Sidama zone of South Ethiopia Peoples State after it investigates one constituency in East Shoa in the Oromia State, he said.

The investigation is due to be finalized next week, he said, adding that four CIPs of the 18 CIPs deployed would cover three constituencies each while the remaining CIPs would investigate into complaints in two constituencies each, he said.

Tesfaye said those parties that filed the complaints and those that won seats per the provisional election results have been requested to notify their representatives to be included in the CIP.

NEBE chairman Kemal Bedri on Wednesday gave directives to the second round CIPs, according to Tesfaye.

The chairman told the CIPs that the investigation should be carried out at the respective constituencies and the investigation at a constituency should be finalized in three days.