By Binyam Alemayehu(ethiopianreporter.com)

Amidst anxious awaiting on the part of the people for final results of Ethiopia's disputed election, the ruling Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and the two main opposition parties, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) and the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF), are at loggerheads over a complaints investigation process, which began some two weeks ago in 140 disputed constituencies.

The opposition made it clear last Tuesday that the EPRDF, in alliance with the unscrupulous NEB representatives, had put the whole investigation process at risk by deliberately ignoring substantial evidence filed by them. The joint statement pointed out that a CUD witness in Meragna Woreda was mercilessly killed and others severely beaten in an attempt to rob the party of confidence to press ahead with its massive allegations, a charge, which the ruling EPRDF dismisses.

In a statement, it issued on Thursday, the EPRDF said it had continued to participate in the process and played a pioneering role for the reorganization of a joint forum, despite the violent tendencies of the two parties. It said their joint statement was nothing but an official declaration of their intent to switch from a legal and democratic path to that of a violent means.

The EPRDF's Election Executive Committee asserted that the opposition were leveling all sorts of "baseless" allegations out of disappointment over the fact that their complaints of fraud over people who did not vote for them were found to be groundless.  

The EPRDF's latest statement further accused the opposition of trampling upon the non-violence pact, which stipulated abiding by clearly set rules for investigating complaints.

Asked for UEDF's comment on this, the party's Chairman, Dr. Merera Gudina, said the EPRDF, as evident in its unilateral declaration of championship on the morrow of the election, had chosen to stick to its under-the-counter approach to deliberately rob the people of their votes. "Well, it doesn't surprise me in the least because I've known the nature of this die-hard regime for many years. But I would like to state that by now the EPRDF regime is declaring war not only on the opposition, but the electorate and the people in general," he said.

Dr. Hailu Araya, a spokesperson of the CUD, on his part reaffirmed the party's commitment to respect the will of the people but noted that the EPRDF was requiring the opposition to compromise on popular votes in its futile attempt to cling to power. Asked to comment on EPRDF's allegation that the opposition was trying to undermine the investigation by questioning the verdicts of the people, who did not vote for it, Dr. Hailu said, "We have nothing against those who did not vote for us. Rather, this is a right-under-your-nose attempt on the part of the regime to cover up its fraudulent practices on polling day. If it thinks it could get away with stolen votes, then it's making a big-time mistake.

Dr. Hailu called upon the international community and the people at large to play an active role in efforts to create a multi-party system in Ethiopia.