EPRDF's Merger Would Contribute to Practice Real Federalism: Front Official

Addis ababa ENA November 16/2019 The Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF's) plan for merger would help the country to exercise “real federalism system” Official of the Front said.

Fekadu Tessema, member of the Executive Committee and Head of Political Parties and Civil Affairs of EPRDF, told ENA that the aspired merger among members of the Front and affiliate parties would pave the way for real federalism.

EPRDF, a coalition of three ethnic based and one regional party, is leading the country since 1991. Since the affiliate parties are not allowed to be member of the front, they are obliged to implement decision in which they haven't take part.

Despite the request from the affiliate parties, EPRDF has been refusing to accept their membership to the coalition, just because the population in those areas are pastoralists.

Fekadu said it is not logical for EPRDF, which claimed to work for development of farmers, exclude pastoralists from the coalition, just because they are not farmers.  

Fekadu said the situation has forced affiliate parties to execute decisions that they haven't take part.

Thus, the merger would enable them to directly take part in national issues by avoiding intervention and guardianship, he added.

Fekadu also said that the new party that will be established through the merger will use more than one working language, to encourage diversity.

The number of languages that the party would use will be decided in the future, Fekadu said.

EPRDF, a coalition of three ethnic based parties from Amhara, Oromiya and Tigray, and a party representing the Southern part of the country with over 40 ethnic groups, has been discussing about a merger to for a single national party.