May 11, 2005
Texting for votes
Ethiopia's election has entered the mobile age. For the first time supporters of the various parties and coalitions have started pestering people with SMS campaign messages. Here are of the messages that are doing the rounds. From this informal poll it looks like the opposition CUD has the technological edge over the ruling EPRDF.
"Vote bee. If you vote bee / You will eat honey / If you vote for the two fingers / You will loose the three others.""If you love your country, for so many reasons you already know, vote for KINIGIT! Please send this for 5 others."
"Kinigitin alememret mebt new, negr gin yemekeran gize marazem new" (Not to vote CUD is a right, bit it is a right that would prolong misery.)
"Ehadegin miretu, ehagegin bitimertu, hiwotachihu kalefew 14 amet yebelete be hiv, besira atiet ina, bechigir yetemola endihone enadergalen." (Vote EPRDF, if you vote for EPRDF, we will fill your life with more HIV and poverty than you have seen in the past 14 years.)
"Show your response towards Alamoudi's support to Woyane by not drinking any of the Pepsi products. Pass this message to five country-loving Ethiopians."
I suppose it is an advance of sorts. But it won't be long now until companies start joining in and Ethiopia will be buried in mobile spam.
Posted by aheavens at May 11, 2005 7:17 PM