Interview with Ato Tesfaye Mengesha, Chief Executive of the Secretariat of NEBE EthiopiaFirst  Feb 20th, 2008   Ethiopian Constitution (English)

Ethiopia-election debate organized by Inter Africa Group kicks off - The debate among the parties comes after; Inter Africa group receives permission from the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia to organize debates in Bahirdar, Harrar, Hossaena, Diredawa, Adama, Gimbi, Woldia, Dubti,Awassa, Wolayita Sodo, Ambo and Addis Ababa.

Interview with Ato Tesfaye Mengesha, NEB Secretary General (The Reporter) - What they call de-registration is this. They think that they have registered their candidates just because they gave woreda or kebele election officials the list containing the names of their candidates. But having your candidates registered requires more than that. They have to meet certain requirements. Failure to do that will result in "not being registered," not "de-registered". You can only be de-registered if in the first place you were registered. But these parties, as I said, think that submitting the list with candidates names is equal to registration. That's why they complain about de-registration. If there are candidates who were properly registered before the deadline and later de-registered, I myself, am ready to have them registered again.

NEBE training heads of woreda polling offices in Oromia State - A three-day training on electoral process has been launched today for heads of woreda polling offices in Oromia State.

Local Election Campaigning Needs Real Policy Debate - Addis Fortune (Editorial) - Elections anywhere cannot be perfect. In contests that are ultimately regulated by humans with personal interests and limited capacities mistakes will occur. This is especially the case within Ethiopia where institutions are relatively young and have run into such divisive controversy in recent past.

Opposition Group opposes media allocation (The Reporter) Amharic

Ethiopia’s political parties agree over media air time for election - Some 28 political parties today come together at the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, and agreed over media air time scheduled for their election campaign. According to Ethiopian broadcast director Desta Tesfaye, each political party will have 30 minute election campaign time access in the national radio station and a10 minute access at the state run TV, while the frequency will vary with the range of contestants they have registered.

• Press Release from UEDP-Medhin   Part 1  |  Part 2

Some 121,500 candidates collecting IDs in two towns, and zone - Some 121,500 party candidates and independents running for offices in Diredawa Administration, Arsi Zone and Assela town have been securing IDs, Election Board Coordinators said.

NEBE announces opening of canvasing days -  The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia has announced the opening of canvasing days. In Addis Ababa, nearly 30,000 nominees are vying for seats either in parliament and municipal council or for membership with local administrations.

Over 4mln candidates to contest coming elections - While some opposition parties are raising concern over “unfair” election procedures, 25 political parties are preparing to field over four million candidates for the upcoming elections, which would be held in April this year. According to information gathered from the National Electoral Board, except for the Somali Regional State, all candidates are expected to contest elections across the nation. Eight parties in Addis Ababa, seven in Oromia, six in the Southern Region, four in Amhara, three in Afar and Dire Dawa respectively have fielded their candidates. Tigray and Gambella are represented by single - party candidates.

Interview with Ato Sekuture Getachew (a.k.a Seiko), Head of the External Relations Department of the EPRDF   Part I   |   Part II (EthiopiaFirst - Feb 25, 2008) www.eprdf.org.et

ONC calls for postponement of deadline of candidates' registration - The Oromo National Congress (ONC) called for postponement of deadline of registration of candidates for the coming local and by-election. The party has been registering candidates in Addis Ababa City and Oromia State.

EPRDF presents majority candidates from outside party - For next month’s bi-election and local elections, the ruling party Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Party (EPRDF) has presented 32,000 candidates in Addis Ababa to contest in the election. EPRDF officials announced that more than 50% of its Addis Ababa candidates are not members of the party.

Interview with Ato Mushe Semu, Secretary General of UEDP-Medhin (EthiopiaFirst - Feb 27, 2008) www.uedpmedhin.org

UEDF protests against registration procedures - UEDF Chairman Professor Beyene Petros told WIC yesterday that his party could not get register candidates for the upcoming elections in Yem Special Woreda and in all woredas of Kembata Zone as well as Jeldu, Ambo and Tokekutare Siraro woredas.

SMPDUO, ARDUF field over 23,600 candidates in SNNP, Afar states - Addis Ababa, February 19, 2008 (WIC) - The Sheko Mejenger Peoples Democratic Unity Organization (SMPDUO) and Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front said they have fielded more than 23,600 candidates for the upcoming elections.

Parties field over 87,000 candidates in East Shoa Zone - More than 87,000 candidates of six political parties will contest in East Shoa Zone of Oromia State in the upcoming elections, the zonal election board office said.

Media Time Allocation Among Political Parties Would Be Fair: Information Minister - Information Minister announced that mass media time allocation among different political parties contesting in the forthcoming national by-election and local election to advance their causes would be fair

EDU Says Finalizes Recruitment of Election Contestants - Addis Ababa, February 11, 2008 (Addis Ababa) - The Ethiopian Democratic Union (EDU) said it has finalized the recruitment of its candidates who would compete in the forthcoming national by-election and local election.

Over 95.5 percent eligible voters of two electoral zones secure IDs in Benshangul-Gumuz State - More than 95.5 percent of the eligible voters in two of the three electoral zones of Benshangul-Gumuz State have collected IDs, according to the zonal election coordinators.

Over 1.8mln voters registered in two zones, two town administrations - More than 1.8 million voters have been registered in two zones and two town administrations of SNNP and Amhara states, according to election officials.

Over one million voters secure IDs in two zones, Gambella State - More than one million voters have secured IDs in East Shoa and Gedyo zones as well as Gambella State, the zonal and state election board offices disclosed. 

 

No significant problems in the conduct of upcoming elections: NEBE Chairperson (Feb26, 2008)