No election in Ethiopia without “Security plan” – Midheksa

Finfinnee (Yeroo) – Chairperson of the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), Birtukan Midheksa said the country can not have an election unless the government “provides a security plan.” The NEBE chief made her comments during the latest discussions with opposition parties and CSOs. 

NEBE will not be able and “unwilling to organize elections,” in conflict areas unless both federal and regional authorities guarantee the safety of voters and candidates, she added. 

However, Midheksa disagreed with some opposition politicians who demanded NEBE to postpone election activities until a “national dialogue” is held. The election board’s job is to manage and oversee a free and competition election, it is “not to unite parties or force them to compromise,” said Midheksa. She stated that NEBE will not stop preparing for the election, while the ruling party and opposition parties continue to seek conflict resolution or dispute settlement on various political differences they may have.

The former judge said she is still concerned about security issues in several regions and her agency is “planning to hold discussions with regional state authorities.”  

The main opposition party in Oromia state, the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC), believes the election won’t be legitimate unless its members, notably Jawar Mohammed and Bekele Gerba, are released. However, the OFC is unlikely to boycott the election as its leadership has previously participated in more restrictive environments during the 2010 and 2015 elections. The Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (“Ezema”) Party, the largest opposition coalition nationwide, has also denounced the ruling party’s “unfair” monopoly on government resources and media. 

An exact poll date has not been finalized but NEBE’s latest announced estimates are between the end of May and early June 2021.