Election 2021 Will Take Public Grievances from ‘Street to Parliament’: PM
ADDIS ABABA – Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Sunday the upcoming General elections will be key to bring the arena to address public grievances ‘from the streets to the parliament”.
Election campaigns and voters’ registration are ongoing for the June 5 parliamentary poll.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the PM said people who doubt the importance of the upcoming general elections as foolish, saying “it has not been possible to direct the peoples’ demands into the proper democratic culture for many years”.
The premier said people have been reflecting their grievances in street protest and violence due the country’s inability to shift to democracy . “we have witnessed how destructive that was,” he said
The reason, he said, was such questions did not get a proper platform and chance to be heard.
“In other words, the country has failed to create a parliament with a true parliamentary character and place where different opinions could be heard,” he said
Abiy said the upcoming parliamentary election will create a golden opportunity for Ethiopians. “If we can hold this election successfully, the voice of our people will surely come from street to parliament and discussion table from forest {Guerrilla warfare}”, he added.
“If the election is held in accordance with the timetable, other parties will receive a significant number of parliamentary seats in addition to the party that won the majority seats to form government (fifty plus one),” he said.
“This means a new chapter will be opened for Ethiopian democracy,” he continued. “Decisions that determine the destiny of this country will be made after many voices heard, many debates entertained, and many opinions are given, instead of choices made by a few individuals or groups “.
The prime minister has already made several decisions to make the upcoming in the nation of 110 million people a free, fair and peaceful election, including help create an independent electoral board in Ethiopia’s history.
Though turnout of voters at registration stations is much below expectations, the Electoral Board hopes more people will register after its officials decided to extend the deadline for voters’ registration by at least two weeks on Friday.
The prime minister urge for the public to actively participate in the election that will set up a legitimate government in Ethiopia.
