Vote Counts Give Way to Complaints Over Credibility

Jun 7 , 2026. By YEABSIRA TAYE ( FORTUNE STAFF WRITER ) , NAHOM AYELE ( FORTUNE STAFF WRITER )

The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has received 47 formal complaints following last week's national elections. Nearly 66pc, amounting to 31 complaints, were lodged by political parties, while independent candidates submitted 16. While NEBE Chairwoman Melatwork Hailu has kept the specific nature of the filings confidential, contesting parties have moved the debate online, making the electoral system's core credibility their central argument.

The national elections held last week have moved from counting to contestation, after Melatwork Hailu, chief of the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), disclosed that over two dozen contesting parties, including the incumbent, filed complaints over irregularities.

The Board has received 47 complaints, with political parties accounting for nearly 66pc. Thirty-one complaints were lodged by parties, and 16 by independent candidates. The Board named the Prosperity Party, Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (EZEMA), the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), the GOGOT Party and the Wollo People’s Democratic Party among those that filed complaints.

Although the Chairwoman remained unwilling to disclose the nature of the complaints, contesting parties filled the gap with a series of statements and social media posts, making the credibility of the electoral process their central argument.

EZEMA's leaders have challenged the reults in five constituencies - Bako Tibe, Laska, Bita Gesha, Felege Selam and Mareqa Gena - where they claimed irregularities. They have petitioned NEBE to order fresh elections.

In a report they posted on Friday, they accused the incumbent party of using state resources and public services for partisan interest.

"Local administrators and party cadres, especially in rural areas, influenced voters waiting in queues by presenting themselves as election coordinators and urging them to vote for the wheat,” EZEMA said, referring to the wheat chaff, Prosperity Party’s electoral symbol.

EZEMA, which fielded one of the largest number of candidates, claiming 11.3pc of candidates, and second to the incumbent, reproached the electoral Board for logistical weaknesses and inadequate handling of complaints on polling day. It accused opposition groups of holding inconsistent policy positions, neglecting their observation duties, and seeking shortcuts to electoral victory. It also blamed the international media for trying to portray the election as a farce and damaging the electoral process.

Melatwork disclosed that results have been finalised in 825 constituencies, about 73pc of constituencies where voting took place. Polling station counting and posting have been completed, where results from 29 constituencies have been sent to the Board for consolidation. Some constituencies, such as in Sidama Regional State, and Addis Abeba, where many candidates and polling stations slowed the process, remain behind schedule.

“I hope all constituencies are finished in two or three days,” Melatwork said, addressing the media on Saturday, June 6, at the Skylight Hotel on Africa Avenue (Bole Road).

According to Eyasped Tesfaye, a political analyst and researcher specialising in the Horn of Africa, the election reduced the limited hope many still had. He called it a “typical African election,” arguing that it showed little concern for due process. He cited videos circulating on social media platforms appearing to show boxes being filled with pre-marked ballots, saying they weakened public confidence.

“The government did not even care to present it as a democratic election,” he said.

For the leaders of the Kucha People’s Democratic Party (KPDP), one of the first to submit a complaint, the problem was not confined to tallying. The Party alleged widespread voter intimidation and manipulation involving Prosperity Party agents, local officials, polling station workers and militia members.

"Voters were pressured to support the ruling party, while some were followed into voting areas and threatened for backing KPDP candidates," the Party said in a statement issued last week.

These allegations echoed concerns raised by the Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organisations for Elections (CECSO), which said its monitors found ballot secrecy violations at 140 polling stations.

Genene Gedebu, KPDP’s president and a member of Parliament, called for the election to be "nullified and held again."

“After the sixth general election, we're hopeful things would improve, but the situation became worse,” Genene told Fortune. “At least during the previous election, we're able to reach voters.”

KPDP holds one seat in Parliament and three seats in the council of the Southern Ethiopia Regional State. Genene claimed that he and hundreds of other members were barred from registering to vote.

“About 480 party members, many of them trained observers, including myself, travelled to our constituency to register,” he said. “We're denied entry by Southern Ethiopia Region anti-riot forces because we're wearing party symbols.”

The incident, he said, occurred on April 18, four days before voter registration closed.

“I'm a member of Parliament, and I couldn't even register to vote. How is this fair?” Genene asked. “The democratic system that was being built has gone to hell.”

According to Genene, his Party sought legal remedy, but judges told them to report the matter to the electoral authorities first.

“How could we report it to the polling station when we're prevented from reaching it in the first place?” he said.

He pledged to pursue the case through higher courts.

“We'll go to the very end in accordance with the law,” Genene said.

The Freedom & Equality Party (FEP) alleged that local officials and polling station workers misled voters into surrendering their voter identification cards without casting ballots by "claiming that opposition parties had withdrawn." It also accused local authorities at the Bekalu Sema Derensa polling station of "openly instructing voters" to support the Prosperity Party.

Senior Prosperity Party officials have begun their own assessment of the electoral process and outcome. A team led by Adem Farah, the party’s vice president, arrived in Jigjiga, Somali Regional State, to assess the parties performance in the process

Eyasped questioned official narratives of high turnout and a festive mood, including reports of couples voting together. He said such scenes appeared staged, as voting fell on a Monday and coincided with fasting periods. He called NEBE’s description of a peaceful election in eastern Arsi Zone, where reports cited shootings, unrest and fatalities, “shameful.”

"After the vote, government operations quickly returned to normal," he told Fortune.

The electoral process, however, is not over. The Board is preparing to hold votes on June 9, 2026, in military camps and at locations hosting internally displaced persons.

“These votes will be incorporated into the national electoral process before final results are declared,” Melatwork said. "The additional voting should not derail the timetable. Voting in military camps and IDP sites can be completed within a relatively short period.”

However, she did not rule out the possibility that, if the Board encounters "circumstances beyond our control," it could extend the results announcement process by up to 20 days.

"Results could be announced as early as Thursday," she said, "or within the extended legal time frame."

PUBLISHED ON Jun 07,2026 [ VOL 27 , NO 1362]