Borkena
Toronto – Tension has been growing in Northern Ethiopia with many fearing for renewed conflict between the Ethiopian Federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) for many months now. This time Eritrea, which fought alongside the Ethiopian army, during the 2020-2022 conflict.
This week, the tension has reached to a new level after the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) announced that five electoral districts – Humera, Adiremet, Korem Ofla, Tememt and Raya Alamata – in the “contested areas” between Tigray and Amhara region will not be participating in election for regional council. The districts were designated to take part in Federal elections directly without the need for Tigray or Amhara regional states.
The areas were annexed to the Tigray region of Ethiopia after the TPLF took power in 1991 but TPLF lost effective control over them after it lost Federal government power in 2018.
The decision from NEBE made a reference to a letter from the House of Federation written on February 2, 2026. The areas are to be outside of the Tigray region of Ethiopia ( and from Amhara region as well) until the dispute is resolved through “constitutional means.”
Reactions
The decision has angered many opposition parties in the Tigray region of Ethiopia including Getachew Reda led Semret party, not just the TPLF.
Referring to the NEBE letter, Getachew Reda, former president of the Tigray Region Interim Administration, remarked ” I believe this letter and the letter from the House of Federation Speaker on which it says it is based will not have a meaning other than disturbing our country’s peace further.” He implied that those five electoral districts should remain within Tigray region – and the view is said to be “constitutional” which millions of Ethiopians consider to be “TPLF’s constitution.”
Arena Party, one of the key ethnic Tigray opposition parties, released a statement on Monday in reaction to the decision from the NEBE. It said it believes that the decision is an “Ethiopian government decision as well.” It also said article 62 of the constitution granted the House of Federation power only to interpret the constitution and resolve boundary disputes between regions.
The Salsay Weyane party on its part said the NEBE decision violates “the constitution” and the Pretoria Agreement which ended the bloody two years war in November 2022.
The decision apparently brought together TPLF and ethnic Tigray opposition on the same page for the first time since the post war period in the region.
On the other hand, committees in Welkati Telemt and Raya – that were leading what they describe as TPLF imposed administration against their will and identity – supported the NEBE decision.
Clearly, the development added fuel to the tense political and security situation in Northern Ethiopia.
The Federal government was reportedly deploying troops in the region and along the Tigray border which many Ethiopian politics observers saw as a significant sign that the war ( against TPLF and Eritrean government) is about to start. Eritrean news sources on Tuesday reported that the Ethiopian government plan to deploy troops in the region has failed after the TPLF- which is said to have over 200,000 troops – refused orders from the Federal government.
NEBE and the House of Federation are yet to respond to growing opposition from Tigray. The 7th national election is scheduled to take place in June this year.
__
Support Borkena : https://borkena.com/subscribe-borkena/
Join our Telegram Channel : t.me/borkena
Like borkena on Facebook
Borkena Ethiopian News Youtube Channel
To submit Press Release, send submission to info@borkena.com
Add your business to Ethiopian Business Listing / Ethiopian Business Directory
Join the conversation. Follow us on X (Formerly Twitter) @zborkena to get the latest Ethiopian News updates regularly.