This archive report was first published on 22 June 2021.
ETHIOPIA ELECTIONS: Ballot Counting Underway Amid Voting Delays ¶
June 22, 2021, marked a historic day for Ethiopia as the nation held its first free and fair election, with voting continuing in some constituencies despite delays and logistical issues.
Ballot counting has started in Ethiopia, with the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia chairperson Birtukan Mideksa reporting shortages of ballots and 'unjustified interventions' by local officials in certain constituencies and polling stations.
The voting in Ethiopia was extended by three days after certain polling stations experienced logistic issues, and Reuters reported that the voting in Sidama region was postponed to Monday after only a half of the ballot papers arrived.
Despite these challenges, the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed Ali, praised the election as the nation's 'first free and fair election,' with all sections of society going out to cast their voice.
The elections in Ethiopia have come amid expanding ethnic tensions and conflict in the northern region of Tigray, with voting not taking place in the whole region and the electoral body hinting that about 100 constituencies did not go to the polls.
The UN had warned that many Ethiopians in Tigray region were in the verge of starvation, and the election is considered to be very crucial to the Prime Minister who seeks to beef up his representation in the assembly.
