Ethiopian opposition calls for new poll
An Ethiopian opposition leader demanded a new poll on Wednesday, after Sunday's general election gave the incumbent prime minister, Meles Zenawi, a landslide victory. Hailu Shawl, leader of All Ethiopians Unity Party, said his observers were beaten and driven away from voting stations across the country.
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Provisional results show Meles Zenawi’s Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front won 499 of the 536 seats that were being contested.
“Look at the results,” said Hailu. “They don’t look real. We’ll wait for what the board says and decide what path to take. Going to court is an option.”
David Shinn, former US ambassador to Ethiopia
Thousands of ruling party supporters took to the streets of Addis Ababa yesterday to celebrate their party's landslide victory.
European Union and US observers say the vote did not meet international standards. An EU report said political freedoms were restricted and criticised the ruling party’s use of state resources in its campaign.
Other opposition candidates rejected the results on Monday.
David Shinn, former US ambassador to Addis Ababa, says the EU will probably accept the results.
“It certainly is a different approach to the 2005 elections when they were far more critical, largely due to the efforts of Ana Gomes,” said Shinn. “My guess is that there was a calculated decision this time to not be so outspoken.”
He added that there is a tendency to cut Meles more slack than many African leaders because of Ethiopia’s role in international peacekeeping and Meles’s involvement in issues such as representing Africa in climate change
Meles told tens of thousands of cheering supporters that foreign forces could not overturn the outcome of the poll.
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