By Issa Hussein - Reporter
Ethiopia, June 02, 2026 - The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Election Observation Mission has reported no major irregularities in Ethiopia’s 7th General Election, while lauding the country's advances in electoral management, inclusivity and adoption of modern technology.
Speaking at a press briefing in Addis Ababa on Monday, the head of the IGAD mission and former Ugandan Vice President, Dr Speciosa Wandira Kazibwe, said observers deployed across the country had not witnessed any breaches of electoral laws or procedures.
“We have not observed any irregularity,” Dr Kazibwe said, noting that the mission would continue monitoring the process until its conclusion.
She said IGAD observers were stationed in all regions where voting was taking place, with the exception of Tigray, and were actively assessing the conduct of the elections on the ground.
Dr Kazibwe said consultations with key stakeholders, including the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), civil society organisations, women’s groups and youth representatives, pointed to notable improvements in the country's electoral processes.
Among the gains highlighted were enhanced voter registration, expanded voter education campaigns, improved training of election officials and measures aimed at increasing access to polling stations for vulnerable groups.
More from Ethiopia
These include women, persons with disabilities, older persons, pregnant women and others requiring special assistance “An election cannot be considered democratic unless every eligible citizen is given the opportunity to participate,” she said.
The former Ugandan vice president also praised Ethiopia’s growing use of technology in election administration, describing the country as one of Africa’s leaders in deploying digital tools to support electoral processes “Ethiopia is on top with respect to using modern technology,” she said.
According to Dr Kazibwe, technology has strengthened communication, improved the flow of information and enabled faster responses to challenges that may arise during voting.
She further commended the role of Ethiopian youth in supporting the election, particularly through the development of technological innovations and monitoring systems aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency.
The IGAD mission is expected to release a comprehensive assessment after the electoral process is completed.