ADDIS ABABA, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia's seventh general election, held on Monday, was marked by high voter turnout and orderly, peaceful participation, according to preliminary reports by election observation missions of the African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
While presenting the preliminary report on Ethiopia's general election on Wednesday in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, head of the AU Election Observation Mission Uhuru Kenyatta, also former Kenyan president, said that the election was conducted in a generally "peaceful and orderly manner."
"Overall, the mission observed that voting was conducted in a peaceful, transparent and orderly manner, although operational and accessibility challenges were noted in some polling stations," Kenyatta told a joint press conference.
He said AU observers noted high levels of procedural compliance, with voter identification and verification procedures consistently applied and ballot boxes properly sealed.
According to Kenyatta, the election took place in a challenging security environment, particularly in parts of the Oromia, Amhara and Tigray regions, where insecurity affected political activities, electoral preparations and voter participation.
Head of the IGAD Election Observation Mission Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe, also Uganda's former vice president, said the election marked an important milestone in Ethiopia's democratic and electoral development.
She said the election reflected a collective commitment to stability, constitutionalism and democratic progress, while demonstrating the impact of reforms aimed at improving election administration, inclusiveness and credibility.
"Observers reported high voter turnout throughout the day, with long queues observed at many polling stations visited. Women and elderly voters constituted the majority of voters in the morning, while youth participation increased in the afternoon," she said.
"Eight constituencies in the Amhara region and 38 in the Tigray region did not participate in the electoral process," she said, highlighting that the relevant authorities have expressed commitment to conducting the election in these areas once conditions permit.
She added that special voting arrangements for members of the military, security services and internally displaced persons are scheduled for June 8, while the official announcement of the final election results is expected on June 11.
The AU deployed an observation mission comprising 73 observers drawn from 35 African countries, while IGAD deployed 27 observers across eight regions of Ethiopia to monitor the country's election. ■
