Electoral board registers four new parties

05 November, 2007

The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia has licensed four new parties to operate in Ethiopia, thus paving the way for them to participate in the upcoming replacement elections, it was learnt on Thursday.

The electoral board gave the official letter of registration to the Oromo People's Congress party led by Dr. Merera Gudina, the Are'na Tigray for Democracy and Sovereignty party, led by Gebru Asirat, former president of Tigray region, Berhan (light) for Unity and Democracy Party and the Ethiopian Democrat Unity Movement.

All but one of the parties received their license on Monday. All the four parties have met the requirements to be officially registered. The objection raised by Oromo National Congress Party leader Tesfaye Tolosa as to the registration of the Oromo People Congress was rejected by the board.

The Are'na Tigray for Democracy and Sovereignty party can participate in the upcoming elections in Tigray while The Oromo People's Congress can field its candidates in Oromia region while the other two parties can participate in the election nation wide.

In another development, the board rejected the article of association submitted by Ato Temesgen Zewdie and Ayele Chamiso to register the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) party. The two politicians are at loggerheads as to who officially represents the CUD, and both are asking the board to allow them to officially represent their parties.

By Staff Reporter - Ethiopian Reporter