Election fever grips Ethiopia

2005-05-08 20:43

At least 250 000 supporters of Ethiopia's opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) turned out on Sunday for a rally in the capital Addis Ababa to galvanise support ahead of next week's general elections.

Meskel Square in the centre of the city was a sea of placards showing a hand with fingers raised in a V-for-victory sign, the CUD symbol. Cars honked their horns to show support while their passengers shouted their backing.

CUD spokesperson Gebebe Eshetu claimed a turnout of more than a million.

It was the second rally staged by the CUD, ahead of elections on May 15, and took place a day after a gathering of supporters of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), in power since 1991, at the same venue.

Police said that at least 600 000 people turned up for EPRDF rally, but observers estimated the figure at between 100 000 and 200 000 people, saying that the opposition turnout outnumbered EPRDF's attendance.

"Yesterday all the buses and taxis were free for people who wanted to attend the EPRDF rally, today we had to pay but we came early to say we want a change," Fekede, a history student of 24, said.

"We want free and democratic elections, the government cannot steal our votes."

In February the US government criticised the large number of arrests of journalists and opposition candidates in Ethiopia.

"The CUD is the hope for real democracy, I expect this party to give us more freedom of expression," Mahele, 22, a student at Addis University, said.

"Today we can speak out but afterwards we risk being sent to prison, some people have even disappeared."

"What the people are saying today is: 'We want change,' 'We want a new government,'" CUD President Hailu Shawel told the crowd.

"We are going to win, I guarantee it," he added.

"Our plan is to free the economy of control of any kind, no government is going to hold any property, it will be real free entreprise," Hailu said, adding that it was time for the EPRDF to give change a chance.

"We do not want the EPRDF. Fourteen years is too long, we want change," he added.

Next week's elections will mark the third time Ethiopians will have been to the polls since Meles came to power in 1991 and the first to be monitored by international observers. Voters will also be choosing members of eight regional assemblies.

The EPRDF currently holds 481 of the 547 seats in Parliament. The CUD, an alliance of four parties, was not formed until the end of last year and is not represented.

"There is a real difference from the last elections in 2000," said an Ethiopian social scientist who did not want to be identified.

"The opposition is stronger, it has more opportunity to make its voice heard and people are more aware of their vote.

"But I don't think it can win a majority though perhaps it will for the first time have a large number of seats in parliament."

- AFP