Ethiopia govt., opposition exchange murder accusations

Ethiopia's ruling party accused the opposition on Friday of killing one of its candidates ahead of this month's national election, in an allegation denied by the main opposition alliance. Both sides have stepped up rhetoric ahead of the May 23 election -- the first vote in the Horn of Africa country since 2005 when a disputed poll ended with street riots and the jailing of politicians. Ethiopian government spokesman Shimeles Kemal said one of the ruling party's candidates had been stabbed to death, in a first murder accusation against Medrek, the country's main opposition coalition. "Itana Idossa was stabbed to death by Medrek members a week ago after he left a meeting," he said. "Police have apprehended suspects -- Medrek activists." Medrek dismissed the accusation. "The people who killed him have no connection with us," Merera Gudina, leader of one of the coalition parties, the Oromo Peoples' Congress, told Reuters.