News: House of Federation votes Tigray regional election contravenes federal constitution, non-binding & non-applicable
Addis Standard staffs
Addis Abeba, September 05/2020 – In its closed door emergency meeting held today, Ethiopia’s House of Federation (HoF) voted Tigrai regional state’s regional election, scheduled to take place on September 09, is “unconstitutional” and contravenes Article 9(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE).
According to press statement issued by the HoF a short while ago, its members have today deliberated on the results submitted by the Council of Constitutional Inquiry (CCI) to the Identity Affairs Standing Committee of the House of People’s Representative (HoPR) regarding the CCI’s resolution on the postponement of Ethiopia’s 6th national election and the term limit extension of the executive (including the federal and regional states legislative organs) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Based on the decision by the CCI, members of the Upper House have deliberated on Tigray regional state’s newly enacted electoral proclamation 351/2012; its decision to establish regional election commission, and the works undertaken by the commission thereof, the statement said.
During the discussion, the members of the House have underscored that in the events that took place so far, the HoF has displayed respect to the people of Tigray and that it believes not harm should be inflicted upon the people of Tigray due to “the works of illegal bodies”; and that due to the views the House holds for the people of Tigray, “it will work to avoid the social, economic and political harms”, and has agreed to continue working held efforts to “solve problems peacefully and legally.”
In addition, the statement said the HoF members have discussed complaints filed by Tigray Democratic Party, Raya, Rayuma Democratic Party, and the Committee of Identity and Geographic Restoration of Wolkait-Tegede with regards to Tigray state’s “illegal election preparations” and the ensuing “human rights violations”. The House agreed that not respecting these parties’ rights is “unacceptable and should be corrected.” HoF also said its members have agreed that Tigray’s decision not to respect the warning letter sent to the region by the speaker of the HoF was “unconstitutional.”
HoF has therefore approved three final resolutions vis a vis Tigray state’s regional election:
1 – Tigray National Regional Government election proclamation 352/2012 contravenes the FDRE’s Constitution Art. 55(15) and Art. 55(2)/D.
2 – Tigray National Regional Government’s election commission, established based on its election proclamation 352/2012, violates FDRE’s Art. 102, which provides the power given to the national electoral board.
3 – Tigray National Regional Government’s electoral related decisions undertakings by its Council, its Executive and its Election Commission’s electoral proclamation 351/2012 contravene the FDRE’s constitution Article 9(1), due to that the decisions are of no effect, non-binding and non-applicable. AS
