The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission releases its final monitoring report, revealing ruling party voter influence and operational obstacles during the 7th General Election
By Staff Writer
(Nairobi, Kenya) — The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) released its final monitoring report on the country’s 7th General Election, revealing that ruling Prosperity Party members exerted improper influence on voters inside and near polling stations, undermining the freedom and impartiality of the electoral process.
In its assessment of the polls held on May 31, 2026, the rights body documented systematic voter intimidation, particularly across rural polling centers. The commission noted that ruling party representatives frequently entered voting stations, gestured to party symbols to direct voters, and questioned citizens returning from ballot boxes on their candidate choices.
Operational constraints significantly hindered field monitoring efforts despite the EHRC deploying 590 observers nationwide. In the Oromia Region, observers recruited and trained for Jimma and Nekemte unexpectedly withdrew a day prior to voting, forcing the commission to alter its coverage plans. In the Sidama Region’s Hawassa, security personnel barred an accredited EHRC observer from entering the Debeafu polling station.
Widespread road closures, security checkpoints, and public transport suspensions across multiple regions further restricted mobile observer teams. The commission also reported that prolonged voting procedures placed severe physical and mental strain on both observers and poll workers, largely caused by staffing bottlenecks where a single election official managed entire voter registries.
To address systemic flaws in future election cycles, the EHRC urged the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) to reform poll worker recruitment to guarantee strict impartiality, double registry management personnel at stations, and expand public education on digital voter registration systems.
Concluding its report, the rights commission advised opposition political parties to avoid last-minute boycott decisions that confuse voters. The commission recommended establishing structured coalitions around shared policy platforms, urging political groups to build fewer, more competitive national parties to strengthen multi-party democracy.
__
Join our Telegram Channel: t.me/borkena
Like borkena on Facebook
Join the conversation. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @zborkena to get the latest Ethiopian news updates regularly. Subscribe to the YouTube channel. To share information or for submission, email info@borkena.com