Addis Ababa (SLpost)- The Chairperson of Ethiopia’s National Election Board (NEBE), Melatwork Hailu, has stated that the institution carried out its responsibilities independently and without interference throughout the country’s 7th General Election process.
Speaking during the official announcement of the election’s final results, Hailu said the Board successfully managed the electoral process by utilizing technology developed by Ethiopian experts, describing it as a major achievement in strengthening the country’s electoral system.
She noted that the Board carefully planned and implemented every stage of the election, from the initial preparations and voter registration to polling day and the post-election process. According to her, these efforts contributed significantly to the successful conduct of the election.
Hailu emphasized that ensuring broad public participation was a key priority, particularly increasing the involvement of women. She said the Board introduced extensive measures to enhance women’s participation and prevent gender-based violence during the electoral process.
The Chairperson also highlighted the role of locally developed technological systems, stating that the use of Ethiopian-made election technologies has improved the security of electoral data while making future upgrades and improvements easier to implement.
According to Hailu, these technologies played a crucial role in reducing errors and preventing potential electoral fraud, thereby enhancing the transparency and credibility of the election.
She acknowledged that one of the most challenging tasks was the verification and quality assurance of 10,438 candidates who contested the election. Despite the scale and complexity of the process, she said the Board successfully completed the task through careful planning and rigorous oversight.
Reaffirming the Board’s autonomy, Hailu stated that all decisions were made independently and without external influence from any party.
She further pledged that the Election Board would continue strengthening its cooperation with political parties during both election and non-election periods to support Ethiopia’s democratic development.
However, she identified misinformation and the spread of false information as one of the most significant challenges faced during the election period, noting that misleading content circulated widely among the public throughout the electoral process.
Concluding her remarks, Hailu expressed gratitude to members and staff of the National Election Board for their dedication and hard work in ensuring the successful completion of the election.
The 7th General Election marks another major milestone in Ethiopia’s democratic journey, with election authorities emphasizing transparency, technological innovation, and institutional independence as key pillars of the process.
Source: Somalilandpost News
