News: Electoral Board issues list of 40 constituencies in six regions where elections wont take place per schedule

Addis Abeba, May 22/2021 – The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) issued list of 40 constituencies in six regional states where it said the June 21 election cannot take place for reasons mainly due to voters’ registration not starting because of security concerns; voter registration has begun but was discontinued; and where complaints have been lodged during the voter registration process. In addition the Board said it requires special assistance from the state and the federal governments to conduct the election in two constituencies in Gambella regional state.

In a meeting with political parties on May 7, the Board stated that voting could not take place on June 05, and that two to three weeks preparations time would be required. On May 20 the Board announced that the General Election was set to be held on June 21. In the same announcement the Board said elections will not be held on June 21 in areas where voter registration has not yet begun and where there are many IDPs.

In a detailed statement issued today, the Board announced the major activities it is planning to perform in the additional days before election. It also listed 40 constituencies where elections won’t take place as the rest of the country because voters’ registrations are either not started due to security, discontinued or are under investigations for irregularities.

The Board said it planned to use the additional days to complete the recruitment of additional election officials. In addition to the current 138,655 election officials it already has, the Board said it plans to recruit and train 106,345 election officials, of whom the Board has 100,333 election officials on its waiting list. Additionally, more election officials are kept on standby by the Board and will be ready for election day. In areas where there are significant gaps, the Board it will attempt to employ special mechanisms to complete the screening process and prepare the election officials for the polling day.

The Board also said it will train all election officials for the Election Day. This training, includes, training of Lead Coaches – 20 people at central level; training of Chief Trainers – 220 people at central level; training of Field Trainers – 2,200 people in 20 cities; training of constituency executives and zonal coordinators – 3,781 people in 20 cities; and training of polling station election officials – 245,000. The training will be conducted in four rounds, the Board said. Topics covered in this four-part training include, voting day preparation, counting and results description at the polling station level, result scoring, administering and publicizing the results at the constituency level. The Board anticipated this step-by-step training to take about 23 days.

The other activity the Board said it will conduct is material packing and distribution both for raining and voting Day and said it will take a total of four days. Ballot paper printing will be concluded after 10 days, the Board said and added that the distribution of ballot papers, forms and other election materials in the different constituencies will take four weeks after the completion of the printing of ballot papers.

The Board said it has developed a transportation logistics plan but requires the cooperation of federal institutions, state governments and others based on voter registration experiences. However, it said the Board will carry out the full operation.

Accordingly, the 6th general election will be held on June 21. However, the Board said there are constituencies and polling stations where the election cannot take place for various reasons mainly because voters’ registration has not started due to security concerns; voter registration has begun but was discontinued and where complaints have been lodged during the voter registration process or where the board has decided to investigate significant irregularities in the voter registration process. Accordingly, the Board listed the following constituencies where elections could not take place on June 21.

Four (4) constituencies in Benishangul Gumuz Regional State where voter registration has not yet begun

1. Metekel Constituency; 2. Shinasha Special Election Region; 3. Kamash constituency; and 4. Dalit constituency.

Fourteen (14) Constitiuencies in Somali Regional state where complaints have been lodged during the voter registration process and investigations are underway by the Board (11 constitiencies) and where the regional state has interrupted voter registration process (3 constituiencies). These are:

Eleven (11) Constituencies where complaints have been lodged

1. Arabi constituency; 2. Deghamedo constituency; 3. Gode constituency 4. Jigjiga 1 constituency; 5. Jigjiga 2 constituency; 6. Kebri Dahar Constituency; 7. Kelafo Constituency; 8. Warder constituency; 9. Fiq Constituency; 10.Geladin Constituency; and 11. Degehabur constituency.

In a separate statement, the Board said it would facilitate the work of a task force assigned to investigate the complaints as fast as possible to make sure the election took place in these 11 constitueincies.

Three (3) constituencies where voter registration process has been interrupted by the regional state government

1. Aisha constituency; 2. Erer constituency; and 3. Shinle constituency

Seven (7) constituencies in Oromia Regional State where voters’ registration did not star due to security problems

1. Begi Constituency – West Wellega; 2. Monday Market Constituency – West Wellega; 3. Ayana Constituency – East Wellega; 4. Galilaa Constituency – East Wolga; 5. Alibbo Constituency – Horo Gudru; 6. Gidam Constituency – Horo Gudru; and 7. Kombolcha Constituency – Horo Gudru

Eight (8) constituencies in Amhara Regional state where voters’ registration did not start due to security problems

1. Majete (Makoi) constituency; 2. Argoba Special constituency; 3. Shewa Robit constituency; 4. Epheson constituency; 5. Chilga 1 constituency; 6. Chilga 2 constituency; 7. Lay Armachiho constituency; and 8. Dil Yibza constituency.

Four (4) constituencies in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region where voters’ registration did not start due to security problems:

1. Zelmam Constituency; 2. Surma Special Constituency; 3. Dizi Special Constituency; and 4. Morsi Special Constituency.

Three (3) constituencies in Harari Regional state where voters’ registration has been the subject of significant irregularities as well as legal issues

1. Jegol Special Constituency; 2. Jegol Regular Constituency ; 3. Jegol surrounding and Hundenee constituency.

In addition, the Board said that there were severe infrastructure and transport problems in Dima and Akobo constituencies in Gambella regional state that require special assistance from the state and the federal governments.