The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) has recommended that the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) postpones it’s elections scheduled for 9 November 2017 until an ideal electoral code and electoral committee is constituted.

This is according to a letter dated 3rd November 2017, written to the Ethiopian Football Federation President Juneydi Basha by FIFA General Secretary Fatma Samoura.

“This serves to follow up on your letter dated 31 October 2017, and our subsquent telephone conversation.

“It was made clear that the present process for determining eligibility of candidates to contest the elections of the Ethiopian Football Federation is that an application is made to the executive committee who evaluates the application and thereafter sends the list of potential candidates to an Electoral Committee who is appointed on the day of the Congress for approval.

“Please note that this process is flawed and does not comply with FIFA principles of good governance and impartiality which must be adopted and adhered to for any electoral process. Additionally, this process goes against the principle of legal certainty,” Samoura states

The Letter further explains that the process does not provide enough time for the Electoral Committee to make an informed decision on the eligibility of potential candidates prior to the election.

“Furthermore, the process prevents an aggrieved applicant from filing a complaint or appeal if he/she believes that he/she was wrongly prevented from contesting the elections.

“In this regard, we strongly recommend that you postpone your upcoming presidential election scheduled for 9 November 2017, in order to provide your Federation with the necessary Democratic tools, notably an Electoral code and electoral Committee with the assistance of FIFA,” She concluded.

Kelvin Trudeau Musako

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