Ethiopia has postponed parliamentary elections scheduled for June 5, the country’s electoral body announced on Saturday, adding that an extension of more than three weeks is unlikely.
The vote in the Horn of Africa nation was initially planned for August 2020, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, there has been violence in Tigray’s northern territory, which will not vote, as well as in other regions.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his Prosperity Party are under attack from more vociferous ethnically focused groups demanding greater control for their respective regions.
Birtukan Mideksa, chairperson of The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), “indicated that delays in opening polling stations and voter registration have pushed the voting day,” state news agency Fana reported.
Mideksa confirmed to Reuters the vote would not happen on June 5.
“We will let everybody (know) soon as to how many additional weeks/days to complete the delayed tasks … Wouldn’t be more than 3 weeks,” she added.