Poll Body Extends Deadline for Political Campaign Period
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia’s poll body has extended campaigning period deadline for parties competing in the 6th national elections next month, paving a way for allocation of a new round of media airtime allocation for candidates.
The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) delayed the polling date for the elections by 16 days after logistical challenges related to tasks like training electoral staff and printing and distributing ballot papers affected its preparations.
The move has forced the Board to reschedule some of the tasks in its original Election program including political campaign and silence periods.
The poll body said on Saturday competing political parties will continue to campaign through media and rallies until June 16.
The remaining four days, between June 17 to June 20, will be a silence period, it added.
On the same day, the Mass Media Authority and board jointly announced a second round air time allocation for the parties.
“The allocation extends from June 1 to June 16,” the Authority said. “It is in tandem with the extension of the election day that second round allocation is made”.
The first round of airtime allocation will end on Monday May 31, which coincides with the date for which all campaigns should have concluded as per the original election calendar.
Ethiopia will vote for their representatives for regional councils and parliament on June 21, 2021.
