Ethiopians will be getting their first chance to vote since the general election in 2005, which ended with violent protests and the jailing of most leaders of the opposition. Leaders of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy were eventually pardoned and re
Elections are scheduled for April for the CUD’s old seats and for Addis Ababa city council, which the opposition won, but which has had an appointed caretaker administration since 2005. Since then, however, the party name – CUD – has been given to a breakaway group, and the party symbol – the ”V” for Victory sign – went to another party altogether.
Two major opposition leaders initially sentenced to life imprisonment, CUD chairman, Hailu Shawal, and the man chosen as mayor of Addis Ababa in 2005, Berhanu Nega – received political asylum and now live in the U.S.
______ Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
About Post Author
