You are here: HomeNewsHealth2020 03 31Article 351361

Africa News of Tuesday, 31 March 2020

Source: www.mynigeria.com

Ethiopia's general election suspended due to coronavirus outbreak

PM Abiy Ahmed PM Abiy Ahmed

The general election of Ethiopia has been hindered postponed until further notice because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The much-anticipated election was billed for August but the electoral body announced its postponement on Tuesday, citing the pandemic as the cause.

A new schedule would be announced once the threat of the pandemic was over, the board said.

Much of its planning had been hit by the disruption caused by coronavirus, such as obtaining election materials on time and training staff, it said.

Voter registration had been due to begin in April and political parties would have commenced their campaigns late in May.

The elections will be the first since Prime Minister and Nobel prize winner Abiy Ahmed came to office in 2018. He has carried out wide-ranging reforms over the last two years.