Diredawa, February 29 (WIC) – 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.

Diredawa Provisional Administration Election Board Office Coordinator, Itefa Ali said 11,564 candidates fielded by EPRDF, Somali Peoples Democratic Party (SPDP), United Ethiopian Democratic Party–Medhin, United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) and independent candidates have begun collecting IDs yesterday.

He said EPRDF and SPDP have fielded 159 candidates, UEDF 12 and UEDP-Medhin four to run for seats in town council. The remaining 77 independent candidates are also vying for same seats, according to the coordinator.

Besides, EPRDF has fielded 6,717 and SPDP 5,793 candidates respectively for kebele councils and 35 independent candidates would also contend for the seats, he said.

In a related development, close to 110,000 candidates fielded by various political parties in Arsi Zone and Assela town have begun securing IDs, the zonal Election Centers Coordinator, Ahmed Abdulahi, said.

He said Oromo People's Democratic Organization (OPDO) has fielded 109,674 candidates for woreda and kebele councils in Arsi Zone and 60 candidates for Assela town Administration council.

The Oromo National Congress (ONC) also fielded three candidates, the Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM) nine and the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces 13 candidates, he added.
 

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