By ANITA POWELL (AP)
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia's election board says provisional results show the ruling party has won the national vote.
Board chairman Merga Bekana says the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front and its allies have won in the nine regions that have reported results out of a total of 11.
He says the party also is ahead for 20 of the capital's 23 parliamentary seats, with only two left to report results in Addis Ababa. There are 546 assembly seats in all.
New York-based Human Rights Watch had criticized Sunday's vote as corrupted by pre-election irregularities, including telling voters they could lose food assistance, public-sector jobs, loans and educational opportunities if they voted against the ruling party.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Ethiopia's election board says provisional results show the ruling party has won the national vote.
Board chairman Merga Bekana says the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front and its allies have won in the nine regions that have reported results out of a total of 11.
He says the party also is ahead for 20 of the capital's 23 parliamentary seats, with only two left to report results in Addis Ababa. There are 546 assembly seats in all.
New York-based Human Rights Watch had criticized Sunday's vote as corrupted by pre-election irregularities, including telling voters they could lose food assistance, public-sector jobs, loans and educational opportunities if they voted against the ruling party. Link
