Addis Ababa, May 29, 2026 (FMC) — The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has provided key indicators reflecting the level of representation and participation in Ethiopia’s upcoming general election scheduled for Monday.
Speaking to the media, NEBE Chairperson Melatwork Hailu outlined figures and initiatives that, according to the Board, demonstrate the breadth of electoral participation across the country.
She said more than 54 million voters have been registered to take part in the election, alongside 42 political parties and 10,438 candidates contesting under party banners, as well as 80 independent candidates.
NEBE also highlighted a series of civic engagement and voter education initiatives aimed at strengthening public participation in the electoral process.
According to the Board, 19 public debate forums were organized and broadcast through eight media outlets in five languages—Amharic, Afaan Oromo, Somali, Afar, and Sidama—to enhance voter awareness and political engagement.
The Board further noted that political parties were given priority access to training opportunities and platforms to present their policies and programmes to the public.
In addition, extensive media engagement was recorded throughout the electoral period, including 782 hours of radio broadcasts, 570 hours of television coverage, and 576 newspaper columns dedicated to election-related content.
NEBE also reported that more than 250,000 observer entry badges were distributed to facilitate election observation, while 169 civil society organizations were licensed to conduct voter education programmes across the country.
The Board stated that these measures collectively reflect efforts to ensure a broad, inclusive, and participatory electoral process ahead of Ethiopia’s 7th General Election.
The election is scheduled to take place on Monday, June 1, 2026.