Coalition for Unity and Democracy

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The Coalition for Unity and Democracy (commonly referred to by its abbreviation CUD, or occasionally CDU; also referred to as Kinijit) is a coalition of four existing political parties of Ethiopia which combined to compete for seats in the Ethiopian General Elections held on May 15, 2005. Its leader is Hailu Shawul.

1 2005 Ethiopian Elections
2 Recent developments
3 Kinijit Senior Executives
4 Notes
5 External links

[edit] 2005 Ethiopian Elections

The four parties that combined to form the CUD are: Ethiopian Democratic League, All Ethiopian Unity Party, United Ethiopian Democratic Party-Medhin Party and Rainbow Ethiopia: Movement for Democracy and Social Justice. At the legislative elections, 15 May 2005, the party won 89 out of 527 seats in the House of People's Representatives, representing the regions of Amhara, Oromia, and of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region (SNNPR), as well as in the chartered cities of Dire Dawa and Addis Ababa.^[1]

Dr. Hailu was placed under house arrest in early June 2005 after the government accused the CUD of sponsoring street protests in which over twenty were killed.

In the elections for the Regional assemblies, the CUD won 137 of the 138 seats in the Addis Ababa administrative district, 106 of 294 in the Amhara Region, 11 of 89 in the Benishangul-Gumaz Region, 1 of 82 in the Gambela Region, 3 of 36 in the Harari Region, 33 of 537 in Oromia, and 39 of 348 in the SNNPR.^[2]

Claiming that the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) committed election fraud, on 6 November the CUD leadership called for a week of strikes and a boycott of businesses owned by members of the EPRDF, as well as boycotting the new parliament. In response the government stripped CUD legislators of their parliamentary immunity, and arrested a large number of CUD members.^[3]

As of October 2006, most of the leaders of the party remain imprisoned, awaiting the outcome of their trial that has spanned nearly a year starting from their arrest. Porous roofs, crampy conditions, extreme tempratures have all contributed to the repetitive emergency room visits that the main leaders of the party have had to experience. During this time the health of three of the major figures -- Dr. Hailu Shawul, Professor Mesfin Woldemariam^[4], Dr.Berhanu Nega -- has suffered during their incarceration, and required visits to the Police hospital. There is an international effort in motion that is trying to create harmony between EPRDF and CUD, but it has not made any progress.

The spirit of CUD and the Kinijit movement is still in motion. Dr.Berhanu Nega has written a book, published by MM publishing, providing his account not only of the CUD's role in the election, but also of his imprisonment, as well as of his fellow detainees.^[5]

[edit] Recent developments

The Walta Information Center reported 9 October that the CUD lost its legal life with the conclusion of the 2005 election, and is no longer accredited as a political party. Although a number of members of the Ethiopian Parliament still possess identification cards issued by the CUD, National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) deputy head Tesfaye Mengesha stated that this does not guarantee eligibility. The CUD that existed in the pre-election had long taken its exit, he concluded. “Today’s CUD has borne nothing of the former, but the name.”^[6]

In a surprise development, the General Assembly of the CUD met on 22 October in the Hall of the NEBE in Addis Ababa, and elected new officials. Ayele Chamesso was elected party Chairman and the former Chairman Temesgen Zewde was elected Deputy Chairman in absentia, while Sasahulh Kebede became Secretary General. However Temesgen Zewde stated that the meeting was held against party rules and its decisions were illegal. When asked why the NEBE allowed the assembly to take place on its premises, Mekonnen Wondimu, the Acting Registrar of the NEBE Political Parties Registration Office, replied that the request had been made in writing by the Deputy Chairman of the party, and that the NEBE has never turned down the requests of political parties when they made similar requests.^[7]

[edit] Kinijit Senior Executives

Chairman: Hailu Shawel
1st Vice Chairperwoman: Birtukan Mideksa
Secretary: Muluneh Eyuel

Executive Staff:
Abayneh Birhanu, Abdurahman Ahmedin, Akalu Gergrie, Dr. Hailu Alemayehu, Dr. Befikadu Degifie, Dereje Amensisa, Elala Tezera, Major Getachew Mengistu, Gizachew Shiferaw, Leniesil Asfaw, Mesfin Ayalew, Dr. Mulalem Tarekegn, Seleshi Tena, Dr. Shimels Tekletsdik, and Dr. Yakob Hailemariam