Officials at the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) are working to introduce a wide range of far-reaching changes to the country’s election laws with less than a year-and-a-half left to go before tens of millions of Ethiopians head to the polls.
The major proposed changes to the Electoral, Political Parties registration, and Elections Code of Conduct Proclamation were presented during a meeting at the Addis Ababa Hilton Hotel this week. The numerous amendments include alterations to the scope of the law, the terms of party registration, the redefinition of constituencies, electorates, and election procedures, and new mechanisms for post-election appeals and compliance.
NEBE officials are looking to include ‘security problems, disease outbreaks, and natural disasters’ under the list of circumstances that could rule out an election. The existing proclamation, which was ratified six years ago, does not explicitly list these scenarios, instead referring to them simply as ‘circumstances.’
The proposed bill would enable the public to elect members of the House of Federation in addition to members of the House of People’s Representatives. Members of the upper house of Parliament have thus far been selected by regional councils on behalf of their respective constituencies.
Melatework Hailu, the new NEBE head, said the change is in line with the Constitution, which states that members of the House of Federation can be elected either directly or by regional councils.
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“We have to implement this,” said Melatework.
If lawmakers approve the bill, the number of election categories would grow to five, in addition to general (national) elections, local elections, by-elections, re-elections, and referendums.
The Board is looking to introduce new rules for party registration and license revocation. Under the terms of the current proclamation, political parties implicated in a range of offenses, including association with political violence, are subject to direct and permanent ban.
The proposed bill proposes to enforce a five-year suspension, depending on the type and seriousness of the offense, before considering a permanent proscription. Parties will be able to appeal the suspension or ban to the Federal High Court within 30 days of receiving notice, according to the proposed bill.
It would permit regional political parties to transform into national parties if they fulfill certain requirements, and allow citizens who are six months away from turning 18 years of age to register to vote. Political candidates will have to be at least 21 years of age.
Women will have to account for at least 20 percent of a political party’s membership base, according to the draft.
The bill proposes to allow election campaigning until 48 hours prior to the vote, while it cuts the safe zone around polling stations (where weapons and inebriation, among other things, are banned) to a radius of 300 meters from the current 500 meters.
NEBE officials want to see polling stations announce preliminary results within five days of the vote, while the time the Board has to announce the outcome of an election is lengthened to 20 days from the current 15 days.
Candidates are not allowed to accept gifts or donations, unless the gift or donation is public and given with the recognition and approval of the Board, according to the draft.
IDPs will be allowed to vote if they can present documentation from the constituencies they were originally displaced from, according to the new bill.
The draft will be tabled to lawmakers for ratification following discussions with CSOs, security officials, election observers, and other stakeholders.
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