Addis ababa: The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has announced its readiness for Monday's election, reporting that more than 54 million voters have been registered and that all major preparations have been completed.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, NEBE Chairperson Melatwork Hailu stated that the Board has finalized essential electoral preparations, including voter registration, training programs, observer recruitment, media accreditation, voter education, and coordination of polling stations, officials, and security arrangements.
The Chairperson revealed that a total of 54,057,871 voters have registered to participate in the election. She added that 42 political parties will be competing, with 10,438 candidates contesting under party banners and 80 candidates running as independents.
Melatwork highlighted efforts to ensure the electorate is well-informed, noting that political parties received priority training opportunities and platforms to present their policies and programs to the public. NEBE organized 19 public debate forums in five languages-Amharic, Afaan Oromo, Somali, Afar, and Sidama-broadcast through eight media outlets as part of voter awareness and civic engagement initiatives.
The Board reported extensive media coverage throughout the electoral period, including 782 hours of radio broadcasts, 570 hours of television coverage, and 576 newspaper columns dedicated to election-related content. To facilitate observation activities, more than 250,000 observer entry badges were distributed, and 169 civil society organizations were licensed to conduct voter education programs nationwide.
The election has drawn significant regional attention, with election observation missions deployed by both the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, highlighting continental support for democratic processes and confidence in African-led electoral oversight mechanisms.
Addressing election security and voter protection, Melatwork confirmed that all necessary electoral materials have been delivered, and operational arrangements completed. A multi-stakeholder task force, including courts, police, and other institutions, has been established to prevent harassment and violence, especially against women, during the electoral process.
A dedicated monitoring team has been formed to oversee final preparations and ensure a peaceful and orderly vote, as Ethiopia enters the final phase of election preparations, focusing on transparency, voter participation, and institutional readiness ahead of polling day.