Have you ever imagined having a bid for the mercy of the government by signing a document worded in the manner that was finally published?

Have you ever imagined that there would come time for them to assume collective and individual responsibility for all the damages that occurred, whether the lost lives or property during the violence? 

It is not my imagining, but I can understand what they have done; sometimes you give up on something to get something. If this is what they want to contribute to the peace and development of democracy in Ethiopia in the new Millennium, that is a much honoured decision. I believe they did it from their own understanding and it is my belief that this would resolve the problem of political polarisation that exists in the country. I would actually look at it as a gift to the Ethiopian people because this is the way to move forward.

I understand that you were in London the past week together with people like House Speaker Teshome Toga and other senior EPRDF members. How did the other senior EPRDF officials respond?

I did not ask them for their feelings, but I did not read anything from them and I did not get what they were feeling about the whole situation. I think they were neutral about it.

CUDP is a group that was trying to draw legitimacy for its existence in Parliament because there were various controversial issues like taking every opportunity to demand the release of those people in jail and you often used to say that ‘our leaders’ are in jail so that it was perceived as an attempt to draw legitimacy. Now those people are out. What sort of legitimacy are you seeking?

Beginning from March 2006, we have received recognition as a party from the National Electoral Board (NEB) and we have been in existence as a party and have been ably discharging our responsibilities and duties in Parliament and outside as a party. Now we are not actually seeking legitimacy from anywhere. 

Not the legitimacy from NEB; I am talking about the legitimacy in the eyes of the public?

Those who had doubt on our initial intent should rest assured.

Initially, you were considered to be a traitor?

We are there for what we said; we are not shortcutting anybody. We want to struggle for democracy and good governance and the struggle should continue, even though there is some problem with the leaders of CUD. The struggle for democracy and the struggle to bring democratic change in this country would continue and we were at the opportune time and as parliamentarians we were the correct people to move the issue forward and that we have done in Parliament and outside. Our intent was not to grab the leadership position or pave a shortcut to leadership while these people were sent to prison.

The idea as we expressed then was the struggle should continue. At whatever stage the people who lead the organisation could have problems but the struggle should move forward by other people who are capable and feel that they can move the issue of democratisation in this country for peace and development should be allowed to move it forward. We have a culture that is dependant on a system where people associate organisations with names, personalities and when something happens on those personalities and there would be this feeling that the whole thing has to stop. That is not the way it should be, for we have to try to prove that is not true, even though we sympathise with what happened; we strongly feel that the struggle for democracy and democratic change should continue.

Are you an accidental chair of the CUDP?

Not an accident.

Are you willing to surrender your leadership position to the released CUD leaders?

Yes, because we have to get used to this idea if the original leaders want to come to this party and assume the leadership positions, myself and other fellow parliamentarians representing our party would be very happy.

That is what you are planning to do? When do you think that is going to happen?

The details would be worked out. They are going to do this on the party platform. However, we are going to carry this through but the will to do this on the part of the party and the leadership is 100pc sure.

Have you met any of them since their release?

Yes, I have met some of these people, but there is a committee among parliamentarians who represent the CUDP who are visiting them and talking to them who should be able to reach an agreement very soon that these people would join us.  What we want to do is to build a strong party that would spread from the regional level to the smallest administrative level that people would understand the value and benefit of liberal democracy and individual rights and we want to be an alternative force for change in this country.

Are you telling me the CUDP is a liberal party?

Our thinking and practice is liberal but with emphasis on social liberalism because we want to make sure that people understand their constitutional rights and liberty to organise, speak, write and determine their own life. We are also committed to a market economy, particularly to the private sector. Our preference is of a small government because we want to empower the people. We want to bring people’s dynamism in the market economy.

The CUD leaders who came out from jail had a meeting last Monday in their office at Piassa? Were you invited or have you attended?

I was neither invited nor did I attend. I did not even know whether there was a meeting or they  were organising their own meeting. Maybe they were inviting those people they wish to see. I wish in a few days, we all should be able to get together and our party will move forward.

How will the leadership positions be transferred from your group to a group that came out from jail?

I would like it to be done in a way that would bring everybody to the table and we hope to see who has the strength to lead the party to the benefit of the Ethiopian people. We would see who has the strength, intellectual capacity, communication skill and the leadership skill among us. Many within that group should be given the opportunity to advance the cause of CUDP.

Are you talking about an election?

It could take a different form.

Before these people went to jail, CUD had a president, two vice presidents, secretary general and a 60 member upper council, it had 20 executive committee members, so the way the power transfers or the office responsibility transfers is not going to be automatic as you are explaining to me,  you might to have some sort of free election.

On our part there is willingness to accommodate any formal procedure they would choose to put. We are willing and open, it is up to them. What I am telling you is that we like to see strong and vibrant leadership that can prompt the cause of CUDP.

Do you consider the leadership that went to jail as strong and vibrant?

I think so.

You were in the midst of a court battle against Ayele Chamiso and his group claiming the leadership of CUD. Has that court battle been resolved up to this moment?

It has been.

Are you telling me that NEB recognises your group has the legitimacy over CUD leadership?

What happened is that Ayele called for a general assembly to elect permanent leadership. NEB ruled on the way he called the election of leadership since he is my deputy neither in practice nor in law, so that he cannot call a general election when the chairman is available in person. He should have gone through me. The election was invalidated. I myself was elected against my will in my absence. NEB called the election illegal and has invalidated it. The court ruled that Ayele cannot represent CUD.

When did the court rule against Ayele?

It was a couple of months ago. That has been dealt with.

Ayele still speaks on behalf of CUD leadership?

Yes, I do not know how he does it. You know this is a free country, anybody can call himself anything. But it is misrepresentation. Ayele has charged that he has been sued by the party (CUDP) and the case is with the prosecutor, it was based on slander and misrepresentation.

Did you receive a registration from NEB?

Not yet, after the election called by Ayele was invalidated, NEB wrote us a letter saying that we should call a general election and elect permanent leadership within one month.

You have not done so?

We have, within one month, and even Ayele was told to have been included in the process, but he wrote a letter in which he refused to come. We took the letter and asked NEB to allow us to call a general assembly. Permanent leadership was elected. All the process was according to the law and the result was forwarded to NEB. But the Electoral Board could not make a decision because it had not been appointed at that time.

About four weeks ago, the Prime Minister nominated Board members. It is these nine Board members were approved by the majority vote in Parliament whose decision we are waiting.

Technically and legally, at this moment, there is no such group in the country that has registered or has an official legal registration from NEB as CUD?

Yes, we have a registration. The question is in the leadership not in the registration and the organisation was given legal status and both Ayele and myself have been given the copy of the registration.

Supposing that you claim to have two different papers?

The same registration paper was given to Ayele and I until permanent leadership was elected. In the meantime, Ayele went ahead and called for the general assembly but NEB ruled against the procedure and invalidated the election so what we did then was we invited him to participate in the election that was forming and he refused to come so we made the copy of the election process and the result has been submitted to NEB. At the time there was no Board.

Practically, you are waiting for the Board to commence its function that would provide you the permanent leadership?

Yes, we have a copy of certificate for the permanent leadership, not the original.

The permanent leadership has not been acceptable by NEB?

It is not that it has not been accepted, it has never been looked at. There is a law of the Electoral Board to make a decision within a month and that month is almost over. We would know in a couple of days who is going to be at the helm of the leadership. We are sure that Ayele is not going to become one. The decision has been made.

Prior to the CUD leaders’ arrests, these people were not officially and legally members of CUD because there was not as such a party called CUD. Therefore, is it not a requirement for these people to be registered as new members of CUDP before anything happens?

We are members and the leaders of this political party (CUDP). This is our party; we have the right to decide who is going to lead us. How we are going to be led. So I do not think there is any conflict.

Is it not a matter of law for them to present to be registered as members because they were not on the list of members you submitted to the Electoral Board?

That is correct.

They have to go and register as members?

Yes, they will be registered as members.

Provided that they are registered as members of the party and if they were to be interested to call a general assembly to elect a brand new leadership, will you agree?