Ethiopia’s Election Board Suspended an Opposition Party Allegedly “with a goal to dismantle” it 

Borkena

Toronto – Major institutions that are supposed to be independent in Ethiopia have been facing criticism that they do not observe arm’s length relationship principle. 

They are not just facing government intervention but they are considered as tools for the government. 

Ethiopia’s National Electoral Board  is getting similar accusations after it suspended one of the members of the Opposition Coalition which was established in September this year. 

Enat Party was excluded from the coalition it helped establish on alleged grounds  that the requirement for it to be a member was “incomplete.” 

The Board says that the Congress that the party submitted was incomplete and that “there was opposition from members.” 

According to the party, documents were sent to the Board ahead of the founding congress of the Coalition and representatives from the Board attended the congress that formed the Coalition for Ethiopian Unity.

“The reasons on both grounds are unacceptable,” Enat party said.  It sees it as the culmination of  “the effort the Board was leading to dismantle the party for 14 months.” 

“It was planned,” the party added.

The party,  as indicated in the statement it released this week, argues the decision NEB took amounts to intervention in the internal party affairs of the party as it was emboldening a faction within the party that was allegedly working to dismantle it. 

It is also indicated that no response was given for 55 days , and that the Board sent the suspension letter  just two days or so before starting registration of Candidates for the 7th general election which is expected to take place in June this year.

It appears it was targeted in the decision. 

 “The coalition has been labelled as “enemy” because of its shared strong position to be the voice for the people on key national issues,” it said. 

Notably, Enat party has been among the leading opposition parties consistently speaking out against government policies and inactions, on matters like security crisis and rise in crime rate in the country, over the past four or five years. It has been vehemently opposing the massacre of civilians, the arrest of opposition figures and attack on press freedom – among other issues. 

Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party (EPRP), All Ethiopian Unity Party (AEUP), Amhara Giyonawi Movement (AGM), Enat party and One Ethiopia Democratic Party (OEDP) announced the formation of the coalition on September 18.  

Enat Party says it was one of the key players in forging a coalition of opposition parties after the last national election. 

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