NE BNEBE has not recognized new merger by CUD member parties

15 October 2005

The new merger announced by the four member parties of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) has not yet been recognized by the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE).

The United Ethiopian Democratic Party-MEDHIN, the All Ethiopian Unity Party, Rainbow Ethiopia Movement for Democracy and Social Justice and the Ethiopian Democratic League had applied on 19 October 2004 to form a Coalition for the May 15 federal and regional parliamentary elections.

As clearly indicated in Article 9 of the founding document of the CUD, the Coalition will be functional until the end of the May 15 elections while the legal personality of the individual member parties remains recognized. In view of these facts, the NEBE had issued a letter of recognition to the CUD on 30 November 2004.

Now that the elections have been completed and federal and regional governments have been established, the validity period of the certificate of recognition issued to the CUD has expired.

Though the four parties have recently announced that they have merged, they have not yet applied for the recognition of the merger nor have they returned the letter of recognition that had been issued to the four individual parties.

The NEBE, therefore, announces that it no longer recognizes the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) and will communicate only with the four individual parties.

 

For further information please contact:
Press Officer: Getahun Amogne Tel: 251-9-643738
Assistant Press Officer: Hiwot Alemayehu Tel: 251-9-48757