News Analysis: As Electoral Board announces more results, ruling party leads in Oromia, SNNP, Sidama regions, Opposition leads in Amhara region

By Bileh Jelan @Bileh Jelan 

Addis Abeba, July 07/2021 –  The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) on Monday announced election in more constituencies in both Oromia and Amhara regional states. In addition, the NEBE announced results in a number of constituencies in both Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples and Sidama regional states. 

In Amhara region, the opposition still holds the lead as a total number of 8 seats of which 5 are for the House of People’s Representatives and 3 are for the regional council. National Movement of Amhara (NaMA) won 3 seats in the HoPR including the seat for Bahir Dar constituency and will be representing the regional capital at the federal parliament. The seat went to Desealegn Chanie (PhD), the party’s former chairman. However the ruling party leads in regional council as they have won 2 seats out of the 3 announced seats. 

In Oromia the ruling Prosperity Party (PP), New Generation, Ethiopian citizens for Social Justice (Ezema) ran most candidates for various constituencies for both the HoPR and the regional council (Caffee in Afaan Oromoo) amongst other competing parties. The ruling party won all 49 announced seats for both HoPR (27) and Caffee (22) seats. PM Abiy Ahmed retained his seat at the HoPR by winning in Goma 2 constituency. He won by a landslide against Dagim Waarisoo of Enat Party and Kalid Jemal of Ezema. 

Moreover, in Sidama regional state, the newest region under Ethiopia’s current Federal arrangement, the ruling party Prosperity Party won all announced seats for the HoPR. Candidates ran under the banner of Ezema, Sidama Unity Party, Freedom and Equality Party (FEP), Sidama People Unity Demicratic party and Hibir Ethiopia Democratic Party. 

Competition in the SNNP is no different from both Oromia and Sidama regions. Candidates ran under the banner of the ruling PP, Ezema, Ethiopian Social Democratice Party, Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party, All Ethiopia Unity Party, New Generation, FEP and more. The ruling party holds the lead in SNNP, winning 15 out 16 (Ezema won one seat) announced seats for the HoPR and 6 out of 7 (Ezema secured one seat) announced seats in the regional council. The NEBE is yet to announce results for Addis Abeba and Dire Dawa seats in both city councils as well as their seats at the HoPR. The electoral board is yet to announce results from the Gambella region. AS