International election observer missions monitoring Ethiopia’s general election, which was held on Monday, have commended the East African country for a peaceful poll despite security concerns in some regions.
The missions from the African Union (AU) and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) lauded the election which they said was marked by high turnout, orderly and peaceful participation.
Addressing a press conference in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on Wednesday to present their preliminary statement, head of the AU Election Observation Mission Uhuru Kenyatta said that the election was conducted in a generally “peaceful and orderly manner.”
“Overall, the mission observed that voting was conducted in a peaceful, transparent and orderly manner, although operational and accessibility challenges were noted in some polling stations,” Kenyatta told a joint press conference.
He said AU observers noted high levels of procedural compliance, with voter identification and verification procedures consistently applied and ballot boxes properly sealed.
According to the head, the elections took place in a challenging security environment, particularly in parts of Oromia, Amhara and Tigray regions, where insecurity affected political activities, electoral preparations and voter participation.
“Elections were not conducted in Tigray and some constituencies in Oromia and Amhara, while voting in certain areas was postponed to a later date,” said Kenyatta, highlighting the exclusion of 46 constituencies from the election.
Kenyatta said the mission observed that many polling stations appeared small relative to the number of voters they were required to serve, contributing to lengthy queues and delays in the completion of voting.
Presenting the mission’s preliminary findings at the joint press conference, head of IGAD election observation mission Speciosa Wandira Kazibwe said the election marked an important milestone in Ethiopia’s democratic and electoral development.
Kazibwe said the election reflected a collective commitment to stability, constitutionalism, and democratic progress, while demonstrating the impact of reforms aimed at improving election administration, inclusiveness, and credibility.
“Observers reported high voter turnout throughout the day, with long queues observed at many polling stations visited. Women and elderly voters constituted the majority of voters in the morning, while youth participation increased in the afternoon,” she said.
Kazibwe said the voting did not take place in the Tigray region and in some parts of the Oromia and Amhara regions due to prevailing security and operational challenges.
“8 constituencies in the Amhara region and 38 in the Tigray region did not participate in the electoral process,” she said, highlighting that relevant authorities have expressed commitment to conducting the election in these areas once conditions permit.
She said in addition, special voting arrangements for members of the military, security services and internally displaced persons (IDPs) are scheduled for 8 June 2026 while the official announcement of final election results is expected to be announced on 11 June 2026.
The African Union deployed an observation mission comprising 73 short-term observers drawn from 35 African countries while IGAD deployed 27 observer teams across eight regions of Ethiopia.
MG/as/APA