After registering only 18.4 million citizens in the electoral roll during the period that ended on Friday, the NEBE decided to extend the registration for another two weeks, amid a complicated epidemiological Covid-19 situation.

In Ethiopia, there are 249,292 Covid-19 cases on Saturday, including 3,511 deaths. Experts also report 57,701 active cases, of which 968 are in a serious condition, the highest figure among African countries.

In addition to the pandemic, instability in some regional states also obstructed the work of the electoral body throughout the country, whose inhabitants number from 112.1 million to over 116 million, mostly youngsters, according to recent studies.

All Ethiopians who aged 18 or older, of sound mind, without legal restrictions of any kind and with residence in an electoral district for at least six months are eligible to register as voters.

Since April 8, the 46 political parties participating in the elections began media campaigns, after a lottery in which they were assigned time in television and radio, plus spaces in newspaper columns to show their programs.

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