News: Electoral Board says five regional states fail to submit list of constituency offices per schedule, issues new deadline

By Siyanne Mekonnen @siyaanne 

Addis Abeba, February 10/2021 – The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has issued a statement requesting five regional states which failed to submit list of constituency offices per the Board’s timeline and issued deadline for cooperation.

According to the Board, Afar, Amhara, Sidama, Somali and Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s Regional States have failed to submit the list of constituency offices as of the publishing of the notice on February 08.

The Board has initially set from December 25/2020 – January 25/2021 as the timetable for the establishment of constituency offices. However, on January 18/2021, the Board has issued a reminder for all regions stating that the requested cooperation hadn’t been provided to it and that it hadn’t been able to secure constituency offices required to conduct preparations for the general elections slotted to take place on June 05/2021.

“It has been a while since the board has started preparations for the 6th national election. And regional and city administrations were requested for cooperation,” the Board said, adding, since then there have been major improvements in Addis Abeba and Dire Dawa City Administrations, as well as Oromia, Benishangul Gumuz, Gambella, and Harari regional states which have set up the necessary constituency and zonal coordination offices and informed the board.

“…as for the remaining regions, the board will announce a date for the registration of candidates once the regional administrations showed cooperation.”

NEBE

The remaining five regional states have failed to provide a full list of constituency offices forcing the Board to commence preparations for the registration of candidates in the identified regions only. “The registration of candidates is set to take place between February 15 – 28, 2021 and will be carried out in the aforementioned regions,” NEBE said, adding that “as for the remaining regions, the board will announce a date for the registration of candidates once the regional administrations showed cooperation.”

Subsequently, the Board has “strongly urged” the five regional states to fulfill its request up to February 12, 2021. AS