ABSTRACT
The public accounts committee (PAC) of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia was established in 2006 as part of an attempt to diffuse the political tensions that engulfed the country following the staging of the 2005 national elections. Specifically, the PAC was established in order to bolster the role of Parliament following allegations over post-election irregularities and an attempt by the outgoing Parliament to weaken the ability of opposition parties to participate in parliamentary procedures (the election results had just ensured that the new Parliament would include more opposition MPs than ever before 1 ). Thus, while the election process itself was deemed to be the most competitive and fair to date, concerns and allegations over post-election voting irregularities and partisan tactics culminated in increased tensions and even violence. Specifically, the outbreak of violence was triggered when the outgoing Parliament, in which the ruling party had held 97 per cent of the seats, amended the provisions for agenda setting in the House (the lower chamber of Parliament) in a manner that was deemed to diminish the power of the opposition. Specifically, the outgoing Parliament’s amendment replaced the previously flexible requirements for agenda setting in the House with a stringent set of criteria. Many pundits viewed this reform as a means by which the ruling party would effectively prevent the opposition from tabling their own agendas for discussion in the House. Consequently, the amendment generated severe and intense criticism both within Ethiopia and by expert foreign analysts.
