Ethiopia: A Census before Elections?

 Ethiopia Insight posted on 1 January 2021  a commentary titled "Before Tallying Votes, We Must Count People" by Worku Burayu, who specializes in Oromo affairs.  

Ethiopia has scheduled national elections for 5 June 2021.  Ethiopia's last census was conducted in 2007.  The author argues that a census must be done before the election takes place to guarantee accurate regional representation.  

Musing on Ethiopian Politics

Ethiopia Insight posted on 24 July 2019 a long commentary titled "Election in End Times" by Alemayehu Weldemariam, a specialist in constitutional law and political theory.

The author argues better that Ethiopia hold a sham election in 2020 than no election at all. The choice is between civil war and peace.

Election Challenges Facing Ethiopia

Ethiopia Insight published on 27 February 2019 an analysis titled "Ethiopia Elite Lost in Electoral Maze under Abiy's Gaze" by Rene Lefort, specialist in African affairs, and Kjetil Tronvoll, Bjorknes University College Oslo.

The authors note there is widespread concern that Ethiopia will not be ready for democratic elections in May 2020. There is a slide towards personalization and deinstitutionalization of power in the country. There is no quick fix to the predicament that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the EPRDF, and Ethiopia are in.