The Sidama zone of Ethiopia has turned as the country’s newest regional state after its people gained a landslide victory in the recent referendum.
Out of the total voters, 98.51 percent, numbering 2, 227,063, voted in favor of self-rule of the Sidama zone and the remaining 1.48 percent or 33,463 voted against the self-rule of the zone, according to preliminary results of the referendum announced by the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) on Saturday.
The statehood drive by the Sidama, who makes up approximately about four percent of Ethiopia’s more than 100 million people, goes back decades but gained fresh impetus after Abiy Ahmed became prime minister in April 2018.
Currently, about 10 of the 13 zones that make up the South Nations Nationalities Peoples Region SNNPR have been calling for their zones to be upgraded to regional states, potentially leading to the eventual dissolution of Southern regional state.
The board disclosed that there was high voter turnout and out the total 2,280,147 registered voters, 99.86 percent numbering 2,277,063 casted ballots.
“Despite the compressed time period for the elections and the tense political environment in the country, the Sidama referendum, which was held on 20 November 2019, across the Sidama zone was peaceful and no major critical incident was reported on polling day,” the election board said.
MG/abj/APA