AU Observers: Election Conducted in ‘Orderly, Peaceful and Credible Manner’
ADDIS ABABA – African Union observer mission has said the pre-election and Election Day processes of the General Elections in Ethiopia were conducted in an orderly, peaceful and credible manner.
Nearly 38 million registered Ethiopians went to the polls on 21 June 2021 to elect the members of parliament, regional and City Councils.
The nation’s voting body said it concluded successfully despite alleged irregularities and logistical challenges.
The African Union was among the international institutions that sent its observers named African Union Election Observation Mission [AUEOM] to observe the June 21 General Elections.
On Wednesday, the AUEOM said “the pre-election and Election Day processes were conducted in an orderly, peaceful and credible manner,” amid “some operational, logistical, security, political and COVID-19 related challenges”.
On election day, the AUEOM deployed observers in five regions and two cities where they observed the opening, voting, closing, and counting procedures.
“There was nothing, in estimation, that distracted from the credible conduct of the elections,” it said in a statement.
“The Mission, therefore, commends all Ethiopians for the demonstrated commitment to the democratic development of the country.
The AUEOM has also called all stakeholders in the election “to remain calm in the remaining electoral phase” and urged anyone “dissatisfied with the electoral outcome to seek redress through the established legal and institutional mechanisms”.
