ADDIS ABABA — Gunmen have shot dead an Ethiopian opposition party activist, an opposition official said Monday, days after the government accused the party of killing a policeman in the same region.

Ethiopia holds elections on May 23 and both the government and its main rival, the Forum for Democracy and Dialogue (Medrek), have stepped up allegations of harassment, including killings.

"Our activist Girma Kabe was killed from gunshot wounds on April 26 while placing campaign posters," former Ethiopian president Negasso Gidada, now an official of Medrek, told AFP.

Negasso said the incident took place in the Werejarso locality of Oromya region, the same province where similar attacks have taken place during the past two months.

"Authorities have dismissed it as a personal argument, but we have suspicions that the ruling party might have something to do with it," he added.
Government spokesman Bereket Simon dismissed the claim as "a lie".

Read More @AFP