Ethiopia Elections Unlikely Before April at Tadias Magazine

Abiy Ahmed. (Getty Images)

By Samuel Gebre

Ethiopia Says Elections Unlikely to Happen Before April

Ethiopia said it’s unlikely to hold elections before April due to logistical and budgetary constraints caused by the coronavirus outbreak.The electoral board, in a document on its Facebook account, outlined two scenarios, saying it will need either 10 months or 13 months to organize the vote, which was initially scheduled for August 29.

The highly anticipated election is seen as a test of the popularity of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who rose to power almost two years ago following the resignation of Hailemariam Desalegn.

The board estimates that more than 50 million people in Africa’s second-most populous nation will vote, requiring 50,000 polling stations and 250,000 election officials. Earlier this month, Parliament voted to assess the constitution and establish how the government can avert potential instability caused by the delay.

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