This story is free to read.

Obama draws criticism for saying Ethiopia is democratic

President Barack Obama smiles as he listens to Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, left, before Obama delivered a speech to the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Tuesday, July 28, 2015. Closing a historic visit to Africa, President Barack Obama on Tuesday urged the continent's leaders to prioritize creating jobs and opportunity for the next generation of young people or risk sacrificing future economic potential to further instability and disorder. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene) President Barack Obama smiles as he listens to Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, left, before Obama delivered a speech to the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Tuesday, July 28, 2015. Closing a historic visit to Africa, President Barack Obama on Tuesday urged the continent's leaders to prioritize creating jobs and opportunity for the next generation of young people or risk sacrificing future economic potential to further instability and disorder. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene)

By Associated Press July 28, 2015 1 min read

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) – Ethiopian opposition figures have criticized a remark by President Barack Obama that their country, whose ruling party won every seat in parliament in May elections, has a “democratically elected” government.

Yonathan Tesfaye, a spokesman for Ethiopia’s opposition Blue party, said Tuesday that Obama behaved like a “tricky and mischievous politician” when he made the comment a day earlier during a news conference with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.

Obama departed Ethiopia on Tuesday to end a two-nation African trip that included a stop in Kenya.

Human rights groups have criticized Obama for visiting Ethiopia, saying his trip lends legitimacy to an oppressive government. Hailemariam has defended Ethiopia’s commitment to democracy.

Ethiopia is the world’s second-worst jailer of journalists in Africa, after Eritrea, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.