The Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice Party (EZEMA) said it fielded relatively small numbers of candidates in Oromia region due to intimidation and security challenges.
EZEMA in a statement said its candidates in Oromia Region have been receiving death threats and undergoing harassment mainly by security forces.
The party accused the region’s security forces of intimidating its members, threatening its members either to cancel their candidacy or abstain from the election.
It said the security situation in some parts of the region is so delicate to the point that the Party is unable to register a candidate.
The party also blamed the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) for failing to open candidates’ registration offices in time and assign competent election personnel.
Accordingly, the party claimed it failed to register its candidates in at least 46 election districts in the Oromia region.
The party’s statement noted that the Prosperity Party will be competing alone in Oromia Region and that would gravely affect the country’s journey to democracy.
Girma Moges, who was chairman and the party’s candidate for Adaa district in Bishoftu town of Oromia regional state, was shot dead a month ago by an unidentified gunman.
