The political parties in Ethiopia have warned that postponing the 2020 national elections could amplify ethnic rivalries and trigger political unrest in the country, reported Reuters.
Earlier this month, the election board cited insecurity as one of the factors which could likely delay next year’s parliament vote.
Last week, the Ethiopian Parliament and the House of Federation decided to postpone the national population census of Ethiopia by a year, potentially undermining logistics for the polls including the drawing up of constituencies. This is the second time that the national population census has been delayed in the country.
According to the critics, postponing the national vote could cause an adverse social reaction, further fuel regional conflicts, and damage Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s democratic credentials.
“If the government is going to postpone the general election … it will anger the public,” former political prisoner Merera Gudina told Reuters in a telephonic interview.
Gudina chairs the opposition Oromo Federalist Congress party from a region, Oromia, at the heart of anti-government protests in recent years.
“Once the public begins to express its anger … no one will have the means or the power to control it,” he added.
Ethiopia’s 100 million citizens are currently seeing unprecedented political change under the leadership of Abiy. Abiy took power after his predecessor suddenly resigned last year. He has lifted bans on political parties, freed journalists and activists, and prosecuted officials accused of gross human rights abuses. Local elections were postponed last year due to unrest.
Earlier this month, Election board chairwoman Birtukan Mideksa acknowledged that preparations were behind schedule for the 2020 election, due in May.
“If the security of the country is not going to improve, we can’t tell voters to go and vote,” said the former judge. “There are many internally displaced people.”
