Ethiopia’s opposition figures launch new party

Addis Abeba, May 10:- In preparations to the upcoming May 2020 national election, the former members of the opposition party, Unity for Democracy and Justice (Andinet), G7 Patriots and five other opposition political parties have merged forming a new political party, yesterday May 9.

The new political party will be focusing on bringing social justice in Ethiopia and has a presence in 312 weredas (districts) of the country.

Among the members of the new opposition party include, Patriots G7, Semayawi, Gambella Regional Movement, All Ethiopia Democracy, Ethiopian Democracy, and two other opposition political parties. Before launching the new party, the opposition parties have dissolved their previous political organizations.

The new party has held its founding meeting today in Addis Ababa bringing together representatives from all party of the country. The draft political program shows that the party labeled as Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice will advance citizen politics in Ethiopia.

The founding conference started today is expected to unveil its emblem and official name tomorrow. The draft program of the party is also expected to be tabled in all the weredas in the coming weeks, according to the state broadcaster – ETV.

Andargachew Tsige, one of the leaders of Patriots G7 indicated that the new party is his old dream. He stated that he has been calling on the ruling coalition – the EPRDF – from the very beginning in 1991 to become a genuinely democratic party by allowing citizens at the grassroots level elect their leaders, following a bottom-up approach.

“Expecting democracy from the undemocratic party is like expecting a dove from an egg of snake,” he said.

Girma Seifu, another opposition figure, stated that the new party is not fixed to a certain ideology and open to entertain whatever brings social justice to the people of Ethiopia.