Ethiopian Reporter - English Version - Birtukan heads the new party

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Birtukan heads the new party – UJD

Saturday, 21 June 2008

By Bruck Shewareged

The General Assembly of the Unity for Justice and Democracy (UJD) party on Wednesday elected Birtukan Mideksa as its chairperson.

Birtukan, who used to be first vice-chairperson of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), was instrumental in establishing the new party. Former senior CUD members were at odds with the former chairperson, Hailu Shawel and, decided to form the new party following the rift that surfaced immediately after they were released from a two-year term of imprisonment.

Four vice-chairpersons were elected by the general assembly on Wednesday.

Gizachew Shiferaw was elected by the assembly as vice-chairperson and head organizational affairs.

Dr. Yacob Hailemariam is now vice-chairperson and head of external affairs while Dr. Hailu Araya has been elected as vice-chairperson and head of public relations.

Temesgen Zewdie, the only member of parliament from senior party members, has become vice-chairperson and head of administration and finance.

Asrat Taffie become the secretary general of the party.

The assemble also elected 60 members of the National Council and eighteen executive committee members. The chairperson, the secretary general and the four vice-chairpersons are also part of the executive committee members.

Seven members of the assembly were also elected as members of the Audit and Inspection Commission.

Meanwhile, former CUD head Hailu Shawel called a general assembly in the name of CUD party for today.

This, some expect, could put him in conflict with the electoral board.
The board decided that Ayele Chamiso is head of the CUD, while Hailu still claims leadership of the CUD.

The meeting will be attended by nearly 700 members who are expected to elect president of the party.

Ayele Chamiso told The Reporter that the meeting called by Hailu Shawel is illegal, and that only he can call for a meeting in the name of CUD.

Ayele said that following his party's request to stop the assembly from taking place, the electoral board notified Hailu Shawel that he cannot hold that meeting.

According to Ayele, the electoral board wrote a letter to Hailu to back down and called on the Addis Ababa police commission to stop the meeting.