Ethiopia

Ethiopian Cabinet backs bill allowing re-registration of outlawed political parties including TPLF

(Ethiopian Cabinet ministers during a meeting. Photo: Office of the Prime Minister)

By Foreign Reporter | Friday, May 31, 2024

The proposed amendments seek to establish a framework for such groups to engage in Ethiopia's political processes by registering as political parties, provided they renounce violence and commit to peaceful operations.

The Ethiopian Council of Ministers has approved a proposed proclamation aimed at providing a pathway for formerly banned organisations to re-register as legitimate political parties, as reported by Addis Standard.

Pending endorsement by the House of Peoples' Representatives, the amendment could facilitate the re-registration of previously outlawed parties like the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

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According to the Ethiopian Prime Minister's office, the existing Electoral, Political Parties Registration, and Electoral Ethics Proclamation enacted in 2019 lacks provisions allowing groups with a history of non-peaceful activities to attain legal party status, even if they commit to resolving disputes through peaceful means moving forward.

The proposed amendments seek to establish a framework for such groups to engage in Ethiopia's political processes by registering as political parties, provided they renounce violence and commit to peaceful operations.

Following discussions, the Council of Ministers unanimously agreed to submit the draft to Parliament for approval.

This proposed amendment comes after a statement by Getachew Reda, who announced in a media briefing three months ago that "the issue will be forwarded to the Ministry of Justice to expedite the resolution of the legal discrepancies associated with the registration process of the TPLF."

In January 2021, the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) revoked TPLF's legal registration as a political party, citing the party's involvement in "armed violence against the government" and barring TPLF officials from representing the party.

Additionally, the board requested the Federal Attorney General's office to investigate TPLF's assets and utilise the remaining assets for civic and voter education programs after settling the party's debts.

The board cited Proclamation number 1162/2019 article 99/3 of the Ethiopian Electoral, Political Parties Registration, and Election's Code of Conduct Proclamation for its decision.

Despite the TPLF being removed from the terrorist designation list on March 22 last year and its request to reverse the decision, the electoral board upheld its decision to revoke TPLF's legal status as a registered party.

Tigrayan officials have long argued that this decision left the federal government without a legally recognised counterpart to implement the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA).

Getachew hailed today's decision as "a step in the right direction in consolidating peace."