Abiy Ahmed wins Ethiopia election with huge majority

Ethiopia’s ruling Prosperity Party has been declared the winner of the national election held last month in a landslide, assuring a second term for the prime minister, Abiy Ahmed.

The Ethiopia Electoral Board announced the result on Saturday July 10, 2021.

The board said the ruling party won 410 seats out of 436 in the federal parliament, which will see some seats remain vacant because no vote was held as a result of unrest or logistical reasons.

The election held on the June 21 marked the first time Abiy faced voters since being appointed prime minister in 2018, following several years of anti-government protests.

The Prime Minister, who came to power in April 2018 after the former prime minister resigned amid widespread protests.

He oversaw dramatic political reforms, but a lot of critics say he is backtracking from some promises on political and media freedoms.

He has also drawn intense international criticism for his handling of the conflict in the Tigray region that has left thousands of people dead.

June’s election which had been postponed twice due to the pandemic and some other logistical issues, was largely peaceful but opposition parties complained of harassment and intimidation.

Although the United States called the election “significantly flawed”, citing the detention of some opposition figures and insecurity in parts of Africa’s second-most populous country. Abiy hailed the election as the nation’s first free and fair vote after decades of repressive rule.

The prime minister’s party won 410 of 436 parliamentary seats, election board deputy chairperson Woubshet Ayele announced in the capital Addis Ababa. Chairperson Birtukan Mideksa said the board had delivered a credible election.