The National Election Board of Ethiopia confirmed receipt of numerous complaints following the national elections and announced it is investigating those that can potentially alter the results.
While briefing local and international journalists at Skylight hotel on Thursday, June 24, 2021, Chairwoman of the Board, Birtukan Mideksa revealed that the Board is working to address pleas filed by parties.
Upon stating ongoing efforts to assess relations between the contents of complaints and their potential impact on results, Birtukan remarked: “We have understood from the get go that some of the complaints and pleas cannot be seen by the Board.”
The Chairperson indicated that some of the complaints failed to provide details, polling stations and the party that allegedly committed the breach.
She further stated that the Board set up a permanent complaints reception desk on the eve of the election that could help representatives report problems they encounter to the Board.
Birtukan stated that complaints by parties would be seen along with identifying issues that need the Board’s response and the announcement of the final result. She, however, underscored that the Board would not look into untimely queries raised on the election process.
Moreover, the Board revealed that most of the complaints came from the Southern and Amhara regional states, and that it is working on filtering and verifying whether the allegations are substantiated with relevant evidence, and to what extent the incidents might have altered the results.
According to Birtukan, at least the preliminary results at a constituency level will be announced by July 1.
