The electoral board in Ethiopia has announced a new date for the country’s highly anticipated parliamentary elections. The country will now vote on the 29th of August 2020, marking a two-week shift from August 16, which was previously announced by the Ethiopian electoral board.
Making the announcement on the February 14, the Chairwoman of National Electoral Board Ethiopia (NEBE), Birtukan Mideksa, explained that the original date fell during the country’s rainy season and this spurred the decision to move the date.
Speaking at a conference in the capital, Addis Ababa, Mideksa said, “Looking at parts of the country which will be affected by the rainy season, pushing the schedule a little further will ease our burden.”
She further stated that the board was within its legal rights to revise the electoral date and make necessary amendments, revealing to the press that work was underway to ensure that everything goes smoothly.
“We will work with the National Meteorology Agency of Ethiopia to mitigate the impact of the rainy season on the electoral schedule,” she said.
Representatives of political groups, as well as civil societies, had opposed the earlier date August 16, 2020. They argued that since mid-August is the climax of the rainy season in most parts of Ethiopia, the rains will impact the voter turnout.
According to the new schedule released, campaigns are set to kick off in earnest on May 28, with election results expected from August 28 to September 8.
Second Postponement for Ethiopia
Mideksa had initially postponed polls for parliament and regional councils in January, moving an original May date and settling for a tentative August 16 election date with results due between August 17 – 26.
The date was criticised by opposition parties and civil society representatives questioning the board’s readiness, also noting that the date falls on both a fasting day for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and was in peak rainy season.
“There are concerns that need to be resolved and addressed specifically on the schedule,” Desalegn Chane, president of the opposition National Movement of Amhara, told Reuters.
Over 100 million Ethiopians are expected to participate in the upcoming polls.
