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Ethiopian Citizens Party for Social Justice says press conference was banned to cover up illegal transfer of condominium units and illegal land grabbing and illegal settlements
borkena
August 28, 2020
The Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (EZEMA) party, one of the main opposition parties in the country, said on Friday that police banned its scheduled press conference in the capital Addis Ababa.
It was supposed to take place in the morning at the Ras Hotel in the city center. It was the police from the outskirts of Kirkos who dispersed the crowd where the press event was supposed to take place.
The police reportedly claimed that they were not informed about the press conference (by a higher authority).
Natnael Fekeke, EZEMA’s public relations officer, told the VOA Amharic reporter that the party held similar press conferences in the past and did not have to inform law enforcement about it.
He said that this time his party has informed the Ministry of Peace of the Federal Government of Ethiopia, as required by the new COVID-19 prevention regulation.
The EZEMA party believes that the government did not allow the press conference because it was about two sensitive issues for the residents of Addis Ababa (and beyond).
After receiving information about the illegal settlement and illegal transfer of condominium units in Addis Ababa, the party established a committee to study public complaints about the problems. The press conference was meant to reveal the study’s findings, said the party’s public relations chief Natenael Feleke.
He said the findings of the study, which appears to be scandalous and which would put the city administration and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government as well, will be made known to the public through other outlets, including social media platforms. “No power on earth will stop us from doing it,” he said.
What he did not say is the moment when the party releases the information.
Police were contacted for comment on the cancellation of EZEMA’s press event, but there was no response.
There have been accusations against the Takele Uma administration – he is now transferred to the federal government as Minister of Mining and Oil – about measures to alter the ethnic composition of the city of Addis Ababa in favor of the ethnic Oromos.
Critics say that measures ranging from the issuance of thousands of city identity cards for those who are not city residents to the illegal transfer of tens of thousands of condo units in the city were taken on the line of change the demographics in the city that does not have an elected mayor.
Last week, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s confidant Adanech Abiebie was appointed mayor of the city of Addis Ababa to replace Takele Uma.
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