Joint Committees to Investigate Complaints Submitted
to NEBE
31 May 2005
Joint committees comprising representatives drawn from political
parties, international observers and the National Electoral
Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) will soon be established to look
into the complaints submitted to the NEBE.
A political parties’ joint forum meeting held yesterday
(30 May) at the NEBE conference hall endorsed the idea of
forming a joint complaints investigating committee initiated
by the NEBE.
“Most of the complaints submitted to the NEBE lack
specificity and supporting evidences,” says Kemal
Bedri, NEBE Chairman. “The Board will first review
the complaints and identify those irregularities that need
to be probed and then the committees will start the investigation.”
The Board had earlier ordered political parties that submitted
complaints to produce evidences which support their cases
until the coming Friday (3rd June).
The Committees will present their findings to the Board
for final decision. The NEBE will give decisions in accordance
with Article 52 (2) of the electoral law, which gives the
Board the power to freeze the election process, invalidate
the results of the election or order re-election if it finds
sufficient evidence to believe that the scope and nature
of any fraudulent practice is bound to determine the outcome
of the election.
“After reviewing the findings of the committees, the
Board may uphold or cancel provisional constituency results,”
says Kemal. “Re-election can be ordered only when
the irregularities committed are believed to determine the
final outcomes in that constituency.”
Some members of opposition parties on the occasion requested
the Board to extend the official announcement date of election
results, which is scheduled for 8 June. They also demanded
the suspension of announcement by the NEBE Secretariat of
provisional results.
Kemal responded that he would present to the Board the request
for extending the official announcement date of the results.
“The Board will have to decide if it has to extend
the date, and if so until when,” he added.
The Chairman, however, rejected the demand for suspending
the publicizing of provisional results saying that this
is part of the Board’s effort to enhance transparency
and keep the public informed.
The NEBE has so far received complaints on more than 200
constituencies.
For
further information please contact:
Press Officer: Getahun Amogne Tel: 251-9-643738
Assistant Press Officer: Hiwot Alemayehu Tel: 251-9-487576
