Responses from the National Election Board of Ethiopia to complaints received regarding candidate registration
It is known that the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has been receiving complaints from political parties about registered candidates. Accordingly, the following are some of the major complaints on which the Board made decisions.
1. The Wolayta National Movement filed a complaint stating that the candidate for Prosperity Party is a Prosecutor in Wolayta Zone. In a letter to Prosperity Party, the Board requested the party to verify whether or not the candidate is currently a prosecutor.
2. The Gambella People's Liberation and Democratic Movement filed a complaint to the Board stating that a Prosperity Party Candidate is the Regional Head of the Attorney General’s Office and that this is against the law. Accordingly, the Board decided and notified the Party that the candidate should either leave the job or the candidacy.
3. The Gambella People's Liberation and Democratic Movement filed a complaint that a Prosperity Party Candidate for Akobo woreda constituency, running for House of People of Representatives (HoPR), is the region’s Peace and Security Office Head; a candidate for Abobo woreda constituency, running for HoPR, is the Deputy Office Head for the Security Sector; and a candidate for Abobo woreda constituency, running for regional council, is Head of the Regional Militia Office and that this is against the law. The Board examined the complaint and, after considering the law, decided that the complaints were not accepted by the Board and informed the party.
4. A complaint filed by the Ethiopian Social Democratic Party stated that one of the candidates for the Prosperity Party, running for HoPR, does not meet the requirements in accordance with Article 31 of Proclamation No. 1162/11 alleging that the candidate have not lived, worked or studied in the constituency area for a long time. In investigating the complaint, the Board considered that the candidate had been confirmed to meet the criteria, register and received certification from the constituency and that the party was too late in filing the complaint. Therefore, the Board decided and informed the party that the complaints were not accepted.
5. The Ethiopian Social Democratic Party, in another grievance letter to the Board, stated that one of the candidates nominated by the Prosperity Party for HoPR was an elect in a local election conducted in 2012 at Mareqo woreda council Qoshe area and is now a member of the woreda council and Mareqo Woreda Official. After investigating the complaint, the Board decided and informed the party the fact that the candidate is Mareqo Woreda Official does not preclude the candidate from running, and therefore, cannot accept the complaint.
6. In two complaints filed by the Boro Democratic Party to the Board, the party requested for the candidate in the Sedal constituency to be withdrawn alleging that the candidate’s address and place of birth were outside the constituency and also for the withdrawal of two other candidates, Kamash Zone Yaso / Zay Woreda candidate running for regional council for working as the Zone Prosperity Party Head and Bullen constituency candidate who is the region's anti-corruption expert. In a letter to the party, the Board stated that it cannot accept the complaints, because the first candidate was found to have met the criteria, registered and received a certificate from the constituency and that the sectors in which the other two candidates are engaged are not subject to disqualification under the law.
7. In a complaint filed by the Prosperity Party to the Board, the party cited that the Afder Zone Election Coordinator is the son of a candidate in the area. The Board has reviewed the complaint and informed the party that it will take action regarding the zonal coordinator during evaluation, but decided to keep the candidate.
