Election call from Ethiopian opposition

THE leader of Ethiopia’s main opposition party called for his coalition to reject the results of yesterday’s election before balloting was even over, saying there were massive irregularities that made it impossible for the vote to be free and fair.

Hailu Shawel, the leader of the main opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy, said the four political parties that make up the group would meet to make a final decision.

Opposition leaders have complained Ethiopia’s third-ever election was marred by police harassment. Foreign election observers, however, found little evidence of systematic abuses and called the campaign and voting generally free and fair.