We Ethiopians need to be ready as a people to make up for the opportunity we squandered in the 2005 elections, to reverse the negative impression that the world has regarding Ethiopia's election record as well as to reward ability in the impending May elections. 

Parties contesting the elections on their part must field capable and principled candidates for parliament.

Given that things are getting more complicated and challenging both at home and abroad, it is imperative that as a people we exercise caution so that we elect leaders who are on top of developments and can draw up and  implement appropriate policies. This presupposes that political parties field capable candidates.

So, one of the critical issues of these elections is whether parties have fielded capable candidates and whether the electorate will choose their representatives on the basis of merit.

It is possible to do so only when candidates worthy of choice are fielded. This begs the question whether the candidates that have been registered for the upcoming elections have fulfilled the necessary criteria for being elected to office.

One of the major weaknesses of the 2005 elections was the fact that it was peppered by incapable candidates who were unable to express themselves, were morally flawed, tainted by corruption and other crimes, ignorant of their parties' program and objectives, bent on inciting violence and riot, and, in fact, did not believe in the elections.

Election-related problems did not crop up between the ruling and opposition parties alone. One of the reasons why some opposition parties disintegrated and their members went their separate ways is that they ran with incompetent candidates.

Fronting incapable candidates was a problem that beset both the ruling and opposition parties in previous elections. Hence, they have to be law-abiding and upright citizens, they must possess integrity and leadership qualities, and should be committed to serving the public.

Candidates who are fielded for want of able persons who meet these criteria need to be critically assessed by the public. It should ask itself honestly about good governance, whether they truly care for their country, etc.

As it is impossible to assess the competence of candidates on the basis of debates or election campaigns alone, they should present themselves before voters in town-hall meetings and other forums for scrutiny. The electorate must ask them what they plan to do for them if they vote for them and why they should be preferred to the candidates running against them.

Candidates should be prepared in this respect too. They must not rest on their laurels and expect to be elected just because they think that the results are drawn up in their favour; they should work hard to convey their message clearly and convincingly in a bid to persuade voters to choose them.
At present the people of Ethiopia are confronted with a myriad of problems including the high cost of living, bad governance, miscarriage of justice and the like. Much work needs to be done to improve the state of education and health in the country. Candidates, therefore, should be elected on the basis of how competently they can tackle these and other important issues.

Maintaining the solidarity and mutual affection between the peoples of Ethiopia is always the topmost agenda. We need candidates who believe as a matter of principle in co-existence and cooperation under the umbrella of a unified Ethiopia. On its part, the public needs to send a clear message to those who aspire to come to power by dividing it on religious and ethnic or tribal lines that it has no place for them. And candidates must demonstrate that they will not employ such tactics.

It is also important that the gender of candidates is balanced. The fact that female candidates abound, however, does not guarantee that women's rights will be better protected. Such candidates must have a firm understanding of feminism and be committed to fight for as well as rally others around the cause. It should not be forgotten that some women have a position that is not in the interest of women. There is a need to have a gender balance; nonetheless, the candidates should have the right attitude towards gender issues.

But, above all, we need candidates who eschew the belief that the elections will be fair only if they win. We need candidates who affirm that they will conduct only a peaceful and lawful struggle and that they will seek recourse to the courts if they are aggrieved or feel that the elections were not free and fair rather than resorting to violence.

To sum it all up, candidates need to be men and women of merit when they run for parliament. And the electorate needs to have a position to choose on the basis of merit. Voters should be presented with meritorious candidates if they are to choose on the basis of merit.