By Benadeta Mwaura - Reporter
Ethiopia, June 03, 2026 - The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has praised Ethiopia's conduct of the 7th General Election, describing the vote as a significant milestone in the country's democratic development and highlighting major electoral reforms that helped strengthen participation, transparency and administrative efficiency.
Presenting the mission's preliminary assessment in Addis Ababa, the Head of the IGAD Election Observation Mission and former Ugandan Vice President Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe said the regional bloc observed a generally peaceful and orderly electoral process marked by strong voter enthusiasm and notable technological innovations.
The mission deployed 26 short-term observers drawn from IGAD member states, including election management experts, youth representatives and women leaders, who monitored the electoral process across seven regional states and city administrations.
Observers also held consultations with key stakeholders, including the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, political parties, civil society organizations and domestic observer groups.
IGAD noted that the election took place during a period of ongoing political transition and reform efforts aimed at strengthening democratic governance, national dialogue and peacebuilding.
More than 54 million Ethiopians registered to vote in the election, making it one of the largest electoral exercises on the African continent. According to the report, women accounted for approximately 46 percent of registered voters, while men represented 54 percent.
A total of 42 political parties participated in the polls, with more than 10,000 candidates contesting seats in the federal parliament, regional councils and city administrations.
However, the mission acknowledged that elections were not conducted in all parts of the country due to security and administrative challenges.
Voting did not take place in the Tigray region, while eight constituencies in the Amhara region were also unable to participate.
A significant portion of the report focused on reforms introduced by the National Election Board of Ethiopia, which IGAD credited with improving the efficiency and inclusiveness of the electoral process.
The mission commended NEBE for recruiting, training and deploying more than 195,000 election officials and successfully operationalizing approximately 52,000 polling stations nationwide.
Among the innovations highlighted was the introduction of the locally developed digital voter registration platform known as Mirechaye ("My Choice"), which allowed more than five million Ethiopians to register online using national identification documents.
IGAD also praised the adoption of digital voter and candidate registration systems, Geographic Information System (GIS)-based polling station mapping, hybrid voter registration mechanisms and special voting arrangements for internally displaced persons and members of the Ethiopian National Defense Force.
The mission noted that these reforms contributed to improving accessibility and strengthening confidence in the electoral process.
Observers reported exceptionally high voter turnout across the areas they monitored, with long queues forming before polling stations officially opened.
"I have observed elections in many countries, and I have rarely seen people arriving before 5 a.m. to wait for voting to begin," Wandira-Kazibwe said.
The mission observed polling activities at 208 urban, peri-urban and rural polling stations, reporting that voting materials were generally available, procedures were followed correctly and election officials performed their duties professionally.
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Observers also noted efforts to prioritize elderly voters, persons with disabilities and women accompanied by children.
In some locations, communities organized refreshments and seating areas for voters waiting in line, creating what the mission described as a welcoming atmosphere around polling stations.
The report highlighted the active participation of women and young people throughout the electoral process, not only as voters but also as election officials, candidates, observers and volunteers.
Organizations including the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association monitored women's participation, while youth volunteers assisted with voter guidance and polling station operations.
Despite these gains, IGAD noted that women remain underrepresented among candidates and leadership positions within the electoral process and called for stronger measures to improve gender representation in future elections.
While commending the overall conduct of the election, IGAD urged Ethiopia to continue investing in electoral modernization.
The mission recommended expanding digital electoral systems, strengthening cybersecurity protections, improving voter identification procedures and reducing the number of voters assigned to individual polling stations to enhance efficiency.
Political parties were encouraged to focus on issue-based campaigns, strengthen voter outreach and increase women's participation through affirmative action measures.
The mission also called on security agencies to maintain professionalism and neutrality while urging civil society organizations to deepen voter education and peacebuilding efforts.
In its concluding assessment, IGAD described the election as an important step forward in Ethiopia's democratic evolution.
"The 7th General Election represents a notable milestone in Ethiopia's democratic and electoral development," the mission stated.
It added that recent technological and institutional reforms had strengthened the inclusiveness, efficiency and credibility of the electoral process.
The regional bloc congratulated the Ethiopian people, election officials, political actors, civil society organizations and security institutions for their contributions to what it described as a generally peaceful election.
IGAD further reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Ethiopia's democratic journey, praising citizens for their commitment to constitutional order, peace and democratic participation.
The preliminary report is expected to be followed by a comprehensive final assessment after the completion of vote counting, result verification and post-election evaluation processes.