Elections Halted in Sections of Ethiopia Amid Security Fears

Voting was halted in certain areas of Ethiopia’s Oromia and Amhara regions on Monday due to safety issues, according to Melatwork Hailu, head of the electoral commission. Despite these disruptions, observers noted lengthy lines of voters in other parts of the country. The security challenges in Africa’s second-most populous nation have already prevented many citizens from participating in the seventh national vote since the fall of the Marxist military regime in 1991. Notably, the entire northern region of Tigray, which is still rebuilding from a civil war that concluded in 2022, has been completely barred from taking part in the election.

While more than 50,000 polling stations were scheduled to operate, 143 were unable to open because of security threats. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who has led the country since 2018, cast his ballot and commended the nation’s advancements following the end of military rule. “The Ethiopian people have demonstrated that they do not need anyone to advise or lecture them in order to build their state and establish a democratic system,” he stated.

The media landscape in Ethiopia remains strictly controlled, with numerous organizations, including the BBC, denied press accreditation. Meanwhile, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, serving as an observer for the African Union, reported to Reuters that the voting process was proceeding without major incident.

Political Outlook

Although Abiy Ahmed is not directly elected, he is widely expected to retain power alongside his Prosperity Party. Citizens are voting to fill 547 seats in the parliament; the party that secures at least 274 seats will have the mandate to form the next government for a five-year term. Abiy, now 49, rose to power after massive anti-government protests ousted the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), a coalition dominated by Tigrayan politicians that had governed since 1991. He subsequently dissolved the EPRDF, which included him as a member, and established the Prosperity Party, a more centralized governing structure that moves away from federalism.

However, the election’s competitiveness has drawn sharp criticism. Prof Merera Gurdina, a veteran opposition figure from the Oromo Federalist Congress, described the upcoming vote as the least competitive in recent Ethiopian history. “We are participating symbolically because the law says you cannot boycott elections consecutively. We are participating, mainly to avoid deregistration,” he told the BBC.

A Shift in Reputation

When Abiy first took office, he was celebrated internationally as a champion of press freedom and democracy, particularly after freeing hundreds of journalists and political prisoners. His efforts to end the two-decade-long military standoff with neighboring Eritrea earned him the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize. Yet, relations with that northern neighbor have once again become tense, marking a stark contrast to the optimism of seven years ago.

Critics argue that Abiy’s administration has since suppressed dissent, forced opponents into exile, and arrested political rivals. In 2020, his government engaged in a two-year war with Tigray’s leadership. The African Union’s mediator estimated that this conflict resulted in approximately 600,000 deaths and pushed the region to the brink of famine.

Press freedom has also deteriorated significantly. According to Reporters Without Borders’ 2025 index, Ethiopia ranks 148th out of 180 countries. In September 2025, Human Rights Watch condemned the government for the arbitrary arrest of journalists and media professionals, urging an end to the harassment of independent reporters. Following the revocation of credentials for three Reuters journalists in February, the Committee to Protect Journalists highlighted a “troubling pattern of repressive regulatory action against international and independent press in Ethiopia.”

Supporter Perspective

Despite these criticisms, Abiy’s supporters maintain that he has improved the country. They point to rapid transformations in the capital, Addis Ababa, as evidence of his successful reforms.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-01 14:35:36 UTC