Opposition parties in Ethiopia complain about governmental control over the disbursement of public funds to parties ahead of local elections, reports the Jimma Times:
While addressing their concerns about scheduled local elections, the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF), Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party (CUDP) and the Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM) cited a need to avoid Diaspora involvement in election campaign funding. Thus, they pleaded the government to fully finance them “so that legally-registered Political Parties” can engage in “meaningful political activities in their constituencies.”
During the last two elections in Ethiopia, the opposition groups have often showed their displeasure in what they claim is an unconstitutional step by the ruling party to deny them of funds allocated for them by law. Such problems were reiterated by Berhanu Nega two year ago, who said the just over 100,000 dollars of election campaign money they used for a country of over 70 million people was unacceptable.