The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has revoked the licenses of 14 political parties for failing to act in accordance with the law and their code of conducts.
The Electoral Board cancelled the licenses of the parties during a meeting held at its office on May 13.
“The Board has critically examined the documents presented to it by the secretariat and has repeatedly notified the parties to correct their problems and to comply with the rules and regulations of the Board and their own bylaws. However these 14 parties failed to do so and, hence, the Board decided to cancel their registration licenses,” Demesew Benti, Head of Public Relations of the Board, said at a press conference.
In this regard, the registration licenses of the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces, Konso Peoples’ Democratic Union, Ethiopian New Era Party, Behirework Mesmes People’s Democratic Organization, Tembaro People’s Democratic Unity, Sodo Gordena People’s Democratic Organization, Gamo Gofa People’s Democratic Unity, Harari People’s Democratic Party, Gurage People’s Democratic Front, Coalition of Somali Democratic Forces, Unity of South Ethiopia Democratic Forces, Gamo Democratic Union, Hadiya National Unity Democratic Organization and Afar National Revolutionary Democratic Front, has been cancelled as of May 13, 2016.
According to Demesew, though the parties were informed to appear before the Board to explain and present all the pertinent documents, all of the parties have failed to do so.
According to the amended proclamation and revised political parties’ registration proclamation, the Electoral Board has the mandate to register, support, follow up and supervise activities of political parties.
The Board has also the power and duty to cancel licenses of political parties when they fail to act in accordance with the law.
NEBE said the parties failed to replace leaders who had finished their terms, summit audited resource and debt report and to notify to the Board the whereabouts of their head and branch offices.
Moreover, they failed to summit documents containing the name and address of the political party auditor and the signature of the auditor expressing his consent to serve as auditor.
The amended proclamation also states that political parties that object the decision of the Board may appeal within 14 days to the Federal High Court.
