- The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has announced that the recently revised Electoral Code of Conduct will significantly contribute to making the 7th general elections credible, fair, inclusive, and participatory.
Briefing journalists yesterday, NEBE Chairperson Melatwork Hailu stated that the House of People's Representatives (HoPR) recently ratified amendments to 26 articles of the Ethiopian Electoral, Political Parties Registration, and Electoral Code of Conduct Proclamation. The amendments aim to create a conducive environment for the upcoming general election scheduled for 2026.
According to her, the amended proclamation will support the conduct of a participatory, democratic, and transparent election.
Melatwork explained that the previous requirement for national party registration in collecting members' signatures from five states has been increased to seven states under the revised law.
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In previous election periods, an ethnic-based party was required to recruit 40 percent of its members from the state where the majority of its constituency resides and 60 percent from four other states, each contributing 15 percent. However, the revised proclamation increases the number of required states from four to six, she added.
Citing various issues encountered during the 6th general elections, the Chairperson said that the amendment to Proclamation No. 1162/2019 is designed to prevent similar challenges in the upcoming election.
Moreover, the amended articles are intended to promote the inclusion and participation of women, vulnerable communities, and persons with disabilities, not only as voters but also as candidates. They also aim to ensure a conducive environment for addressing complaints related to the electoral process.
As part of preparations for the 7th general elections, NEBE has assessed the status of 20,000 polling stations across the country. Additionally, it has developed software to improve the electoral process by incorporating lessons learned from experienced democracies, Melatwork noted.
She further stated that 50 percent of candidate and voter registration will be supported by a digital system, and efforts to modernize the process will be strengthened.
