Ethiopia’s opposition parties accuse govt of violating election rules

By Tesfa-alem Tekle

February 9, 2008 (ADDIS ABABA) — Two major opposition parties, the United Ethiopia Democratic Front (UEDF) and the Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM) said members of the ruling party have committed a number of abuses over opposition members and candidates from their right to run election campaign for the nationwide local elections and parliamentary by-election to be conducted in April

The National Electoral Board to its side has immediately played it down as saying it is a fabricated claim aimed to hinder the national election run off and to repeat election related violence once again.

According to a statement from the National Electoral Board, a little earlier to their claim, the two opposition groups have assured the board that the election run off was going smoothly and according to the constitution.

But in a joint statement the two opposition parties issued members of the ruling party (EPRDF) have violated the 6 point election conditions which include election executives not to abuse candidates, allow access to government-run Medias, proper voter registration procedure and release of opposition members detained.

Closure of opposition branch offices, detention of candidates, intimidating candidates to withdraw from the election run off, loading heavy taxes over opposition group supporting farmers and merchants are included in the alleged abuse said to have been committed by EPRDF.

The alleged abuses said to have been widely committed in southern Ethiopia regions and districts also include night time attacks, barring student supporters from registering, threatening building owners from leasing offices to opposition groups.

The election campaign which has been underway for the past few weeks has come to end yesterday with over 25 million people registered to vote on the coming national election to be held next month.

(ST)