Ethiopia electoral body confirms new leadership of Oromo’s ONC
Nov 18, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) said any legal relations concerning the Oromo National Congress (ONC) would be made through a body under the leadership of Tolosa Tesfaye which is set up according to the statute of the congress.
The board told the state-run Ethiopian News Agency that on the one side, in the general assembly they held, the executive and central committee members had informed the board that they had sacked Merera Gudina from membership in a letter they wrote to the board on 21 September 2005.
The board said on the other side, Merera, who was said to be sacked, reported to it that the illegal activities being done on the ONC need to be stopped in a letter he wrote on 10 October 2005.
Accordingly, the board had scrutinized the subject by verifying documents and holding talks in persons with the leadership of the two sides.
The board said the leadership under Tolosa submitted a five-point evidence while that of Merera presented an eight-point evidence.
The board passed a decision based on pertinent laws and statute of the congress.
The board recognizes those central and executive committees set up by the extraordinary general assembly of the ONC.
According to Article 10/2 of the statute of the ONC, the central committee of the congress should be set up by the congress’s general assembly while the executives of the congress by the Central Committee of the congress, according to Article 14/2, the board said.
Accordingly, the board said, the central and executive committees set up under Tolosa would be the leadership of the ONC.
The board said there has not been any evidence presented to the board that the body under the leadership of Merera has a central and executive committees set up by the general assembly of the congress.
It went on to say that Dr Merera was sacked from his chairmanship and membership of the ONC and added that the decision of the general assembly was legal.
The political parties’ registrar with the board announces as of Thursday any legal relations concerning the ONC would be made through a body under the leadership of Tolosa which is set up according to the statute of the congress, unless Merera reverses the decision of the general assembly by bringing the case to court.
The former president of the ONC, Merara Gudina, was accused of subverting the Oromo people’s political struggle by allying itself with chauvinist forces.
Merara says the new faction dictated by OPDO/EPRDF had been engaged in foiling the struggle of the Oromo people.
(ENA/ST)