The Challenges of Multiparty Democracy in Ethiopia with Particular Emphasis on Electoral Administration
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Date
2014-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
In democratic systems people participate in decision making directly by themselves or through
their elected representatives. When they participate through their elected representatives, the
way they elect their representatives matter. Representatives should be elected freely and fairly.
In this regard the electoral administration plays a pivotal role in ensuring electoral integrity.
The electoral administration is primarily guided by the constitutional and legal framework and
the institutional arrangements of electoral management bodies.
In Ethiopia the practice of democracy and multiparty elections is a recent experience. It has
been started in 1991. Since then four general elections have been carried out in 1995, 2000,
2005, and 2010. The results of these general elections indicate that the ruling party has
dominated overwhelming majority in both federal and regional parliaments. The elections have
been usually tied with accusations and controversies, and sometimes to conflicts (as in the 2005
general election). The opposition political parties and some civil societies raise questions on the
independence of the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) and its administration of
elections. Therefore, this research study analyzes the challenges of multiparty democracy in
Ethiopia with special emphasis on the electoral administration. It assesses the legal and
institutional framework of the Ethiopian electoral system and how the NEBE managed previous
elections.
In general the research study has concluded that there are some loopholes in the legal
framework that should be addressed with some changes in the constitutional and legal
provisions. In electoral administration the NEBE had some drawbacks in managing some
activities of the electoral process especially in post electoral activities. With this regard the
Board has to improve its administration and maintain its independence.
Key words: Multiparty democracy, electoral administration, electoral management bodies
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Keywords
Multiparty democracy, electoral administration, electoral management bodies