A competition among unequals in the upcoming general election

Shiferaw Shigute, Minister of Education, another high-ranking official in the region is representing the incumbent in Sidama Zone against a candidate representing Medrek

• In what appears to be a competition among unequals, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, chairman of the ruling party, the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), will face off with little know artist, student and a farmer, representing opposition parties, in Boloso Sore II constituency in the Wolayta Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' (SNNP) Regional State in the upcoming general election.
• Shiferaw Shigute, Minister of Education, another high-ranking official in the region is representing the incumbent in Sidama Zone against a candidate representing Medrek. 

The candidates, who are set to compete with Hailemariam are Desta Da'a (artist), Kegnu Seba (student) and Tesfaye Haile (farmer), representing Addis Tewled Party, the youngest of all parties in the election, Semayawi Party (Blue) and Ethiopian Federal Democratic Unity Forum (Medrek), respectively. 

Similarly, Teklewold Atnafu, Governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE), will also represent the ruling party in the same locality running in Boloso Sore III constituency.

The Minister of Defense, Siraj Fegesa, on his part, is also expected to run in the Silte Zone of the SNNP in what is called the Lanfaro constituency against candidates representing the All Ethiopian Unity Party (AEUP) and the Blue Party. 

Silte Zone is also expected to see other higher officials like Redwan Hussein, Head of Government Communication Affairs Office with a ministerial portfolio, together with Muferiat Kamil, a former Minister of Women’s Affairs and the current deputy whip of the ruling coalition, compete in the May election. Redwan is expected to face a contender from a candidate representing Medrek, while Muferiat runs totally uncontested.

Shiferaw Shigute, Minister of Education, another high-ranking official in the region is representing the incumbent in Sidama Zone against a candidate representing Medrek. 

A seasoned politician and a veteran member of parliament, Beyene Petros (PhD), representing the opposition block, is also running in Hadya zone of the SNNP region against candidates from Blue and the ruling party. 

This zone also considers the competition between Shiferaw Teklemariam (PhD), Minister of Federal Affairs, and candidates of Blue and Medrek.

Other opposition party figures that are running for the parliament in the region are the Head of public relations of Medrek, Tilahun Endeshaw, and the head of political affairs of Unity for Democracy and Justice Party (UDJ), Sida Haile.

Mekuria Haile, Minister of Construction, Urban Development and Housing is also running in the Guraghe Zone of the region against candidates representing Blue and Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) parties.

Other higher officials of the incumbent including Yacob Yala, state minister of the Ministry of Trade, Tadeleh Dalecho, also state minister of Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Asfaw Dingamo, former minister at the  Ministry of Water Resource and currently public relations advisor to the director of sugar corporation, Shiferaw Jarso, are also expected to run in the upcoming election in the same region.

Read more at Reporter