It is wise when the country’s citizens come out in large numbers to vote to make the change they want in their country. This is the case in Ethiopia. The NEBE says it is happy with Monday’s voters’ turnout. Before Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took power in 2018, Ethiopia experienced a long series of dictatorial regimes. The Prime Minister promised to change everything about the state, including the elections.
Ethiopia was having its parliamentary elections on Monday. It was the first test for the Prime Minister since 2018. During St. Michael’s anniversary, the priests and congregation prayed for a peaceful and prosperous election. This election is taking place when the Tigray region conflicts, causing one-fifth of the nation’s constituencies to abstain. Moreover, some political parties have voluntarily decided to boycott the elections, claiming that the elections lack any sort of legitimacy.
What does Solyana Shimeles say?
Following Monday’s parliamentary elections, Ethiopians were still counting votes on Tuesday. Solyana Shimeles of Ethiopia’s National Election Board told reporters that turnout was high but refused to provide figures.
The NEBE spokeswoman said:
“We completed the election day yesterday, which was peaceful with the exception of two polling stations where there were some incidents. One is like in the Oromia area, where our poll workers reported that people had threatened them, so they left the polling station at midday and that was it. The other incident was in the Amhara area, where individuals, who were in the line, were fighting each other, so the polling was disrupted for some time. “
What does Geremew Ararsa say?
“The elections the country used to hold weren’t that fair in the past, because the regimes were dictatorships. It was hard to hold free and fair elections, even though that administration claimed to be free and fair. This time around, it is very transparent. That makes me happy. The procedure was pleasant.”
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed praised Ethiopia’s first free and fair election in a social media statement. Abiy Ahmed faced voters for the first time since taking office in 2018, and people are expecting that his ruling party will win a comfortable majority.
What about the opposition parties?
Some opposition parties have filed complaints alleging voting interference and intimidation of their polling station observers.
When will the results be out?
According to reports, the electoral board will publish or post the results in the next few days. As the citizens are waiting for the outcome, they are hoping that everyone will accept the outcome. They do not want to engage in post-election violence because it will result in many deaths.
The Ethiopian police should stand by and be vigilant during this sensitive time. They play a big role in protecting their citizens from people who try to bring violence. The police are also responsible for maintaining law and order in the country at this particular time.
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