The Caucus of Ethiopian Opposition Parties (the “Caucus”) was established with the understanding that the National Dialogue Commission (NDC) Establishment Proclamation disregarded crucial amendments and questions raised by the Joint Council of Ethiopian Political Parties. Furthermore, the appointment of NDC commissioners was not in accordance with the spirit of the proclamation itself, but rather based solely on the will and discretion of the Prime Minister. Consequently, it was deemed that the NDC would face significant challenges in executing its profound responsibilities with legality, integrity, independence, neutrality, and impartiality, consistent with its national mandate. Hence, the Caucus called for a re-evaluation of both the proclamation and the very formation of the Commission.
Indeed, the NDC’s activities and performance since its inception have consistently validated the concerns raised by the Caucus. Instead of engaging with the Caucus’s proposed solutions, the Commission has treated it as an adversary, systematically marginalizing it. The NDC has consistently refused to respond to the Caucus’s various statements and inquiries over time. This exclusionary approach has continued, culminating in the NDC failing to even complete its agenda-setting within the initial timeframe, necessitating a one-year extension to its mandate.
Despite the additional time granted to fulfill tasks it failed to accomplish over the past three years, the Commission has shown no inclination to deviate from its erroneous, exclusionary, and partisan modus operandi. It has demonstrated no willingness to address the Caucus’s questions or accommodate its alternative proposals. Even after one of its commissioners resigned, the NDC continues to operate with a self-congratulatory air, pressing forward undeterred.
Furthermore, the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), another key democratic institution, is reportedly preparing for the 7th general election next year, indicating that it is on the verge of replacing three (60%) of its existing leadership. Ethiopia’s electoral history, with the notable exception of the 2005 general election, has provided neither opposition parties nor the electorate with any reason to anticipate elections with genuine enthusiasm. The NEBE’s partisanship, its subservience to the ruling party, and the ruling party’s predetermined victory are well-established patterns. When this historical practice is coupled with the current political instability, pervasive conflict and war, a complex and multifaceted reality, and new regional administrative structures, it is not difficult for an impartial observer to foresee the profound complications and consequences that will follow the election.
Therefore, the Caucus unequivocally states that, given these stark realities, there are no conducive conditions for the NEBE to conduct a free and impartial election. Moreover, observing the ruling party’s readily apparent and habitual inclination to engage in electoral fraud and leverage state apparatuses, including defense, security, and police forces, we find the situation deeply concerning and alarming, posing a significant risk of plunging the nation into further danger and chaos.
Nevertheless, it is evident to any unbiased, impartial, and conscientious observer, based on discussions in forums organized by the Commission itself, that the number of political parties and various segments of society who share the Caucus’s concerns and positions is steadily growing. The core problem lies in our nation’s entrenched culture of conspiracy and deceit, which has consistently driven our nation into deeper crises, and is often mistakenly considered as political wisdom or sagacity.
Another critical issue is the failure to dismantle the “entangling chain” that binds so-called independent and democratic institutions to the ruling government, transforming them into mere conduits for its agenda. This perpetuates a system where these institutions seek to extract benefits from the process, a desire the ruling party readily accommodates and exploits to its own advantage. However, the ultimate outcome of this approach is national instability, exacerbated civil conflict and war, political turmoil, economic decline, and deepening social crisis. Such a trajectory offers no lasting benefit, not even for the ruling party, let alone the nation and its people.
Therefore, to extricate our nation from this perilous path that leads from bad to worse, the Caucus issues a fervent call: “Let us break free from the customary entangling chain and shatter the cycle of subservience!”
To this end, we call upon all stakeholders – including the electorate, human rights and democracy advocates, the media, non-governmental organizations, and friendly nations – to actively monitor this situation and stand in solidarity with the Ethiopian people to prevent our deepest fears from materializing.
The Caucus of Opposition Parties
June 09, 2025
Addis Ababa
