Opening remark by Dr Merera Gudina
Chairman of the opposition United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF)
“The fact is we have been struggling, we continue to struggle peacefully, legally, and politically, to force this government to accept or to force it out of power. We call for a national unity government. The role of a national unity government is to stabilize the country. To create a condition where by all the stakeholders can be in to salvage the situation.”
CNN Richard Quest interviewing Prime Minster Meles Zenawi
Richard Quest: Prime Minister, the carter center and there are many people who suggest that you fiddle the election. What do you say about this allegation? What are you going to do?
Meles Zenawi: Some people would say we fiddle the election and the answer to that is lets have transparent investigations. The National Election Board (NEB) has already submitted some of its findings and there were no irregularities in the majority cases. They have found some irregularities and in those cases they have decided for a rerun. It might be of worth to notice that the majority of those cases are those won by the opposition.
Richard Quest: Let us talk about the much more serious business, the violence that followed the election. Was it necessary?
Meles Zenawi: Well, it was not necessary for us to force a resurrection on a part of this town. We had an election. Everybody agreed that until a polling day the conduct of the election were exemplary by any standard. Some had concerns about the counting. We had by then abundantly made it clear that those concerns would be addressed through investigation in a transparent manner on the present of foreign observers and therefore there was no cause for that type of resurrection or activity. There are those who might have claimed or criticized that we had used excessive force. That again has to be looked at by an independent body to investigate and we are going to put in place.
Richard Quest: When all is set and done, Prime Minister, what should have been a landmark democratic election in this country’s history has been tented by allegation of fraud and fiddling, by allegation of excessive force, by your own admission, at least, through investigation will have taken place.
Meles Zenawi: Yea, this is very unfortunate. But, we, people have to learn, people have to understand that this is a very old country that never had democracy in its history. We will not wish to have a rough stretch in the process of democratization. But we cannot be surprised when we have such a rough stretch. The issue is how we overcome them and that is the main point.
Richard Quest: Final question. How long do think you want to be Prime Minister for?
Meles Zenawi: I am not particularly hammered by the position. For me, this is just a continuation of my guerilla fighter days and I am sure, as you can see, I am getting on in terms of years and therefore it is time for me to leave, and I do not expect to be around, in this position, for much longer.
Richard Quest: Will you fight a third election as a Prime Minister?
Meles Zenawi: That is for the party to decide but I…
Richard Quest: … “Interrupted him”…. I heard you answer on this before and let me push you into the corner on this. You can plead you do not want to answer but would you wish to fight a third term as a Prime Minister?
Meles Zenawi: I do not relish that thought at all.
Richard Quest: I will take that as an end.
Meles Zenawi: Yea.
Richard Quest: So, you are going to retire in the next few years, from Prime Ministerial office?
Meles Zenawi: I am not saying that. I am saying that if I have my way, this would probably be my last term.
Richard Quest: If you have your way!
Meles Zenawi: Yea.
Richard Quest: Prime Minister, thank you very much.
