Election Board Delays Candidates’ Registration Deadline, again
ADDIS ABEBA – National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) said on Friday it has postponed candidates’ registration deadline until March 9, 2021 after discussion with political parties mid this week.
The registration process should have been finalized today March 5, 2021 as per the board’s time frame.
Candidates’ registration has already been completed in Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa City Administrations and Oromia, Harari, Gambella and Benshangul-Gumuz regional states completed candidates registration.They started the first round registration process earlier than the rest.
The late opening of office for registration, transport problem and other related challenges has forced four regions and parts of Oromia not to finish on time, said the board while explaining the reason for the latest decision to postpone the registration.
Political parties are registering their candidetes in Amhara, Somali, Afar, Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples and Sidama regions as well as West and East Wolega Zones of Oromia.
Parties have been urged to finalize the registration of their candidates within the time frame until March, 2021.
NEBE’s officials have conducted its third consultative meetings with party leaders and representatives on the registration process this week.
The extension of candidates’ registration have already created a knock-on effect on the election calendar. Earlier this week, the board decided voters’ registration for the 6th general election to take place from March 25 to April 23, 2021.
As per NEBE election calendar, Ethiopia will hold the 6th parliamentary election this year, on June 5, 2021. The calendar for polls does not include an election in Tigray. The date for a Tigray vote would be set once an interim government, which was established during the conflict, managed to open election offices.
