Mekelle/Tel Aviv/Nairobi/Pretoria/London
NEBE Denies Any Ongoing Talks with TPLF on Deregistration as Election Timeline Advances
The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has dismissed claims that it is engaged in discussions with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) regarding the party’s deregistration, reaffirming that such matters fall outside its mandate.
NEBE Chairperson Melatwork Hailu said the board has not opened any dialogue with the TPLF, noting that issues tied to the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) are political questions that must be resolved through appropriate channels, not through the electoral body.
The board deregistered the TPLF earlier this year for failing to re-register under the revised political parties law. The TPLF, however, continues to challenge the decision, insisting that its legal status revoked in 2021 at the height of the war was unconstitutional and politically driven. At a briefing last week, the party’s spokesperson argued that the federal government used NEBE’s decision as part of a broader strategy to reshape Tigray’s political arena by sidelining established actors and empowering emerging allies, ultimately influencing upcoming regional elections.
Despite the TPLF’s objections, other Tigray-based political groups have signaled readiness to participate in the next national polls. These include the Tigray Democratic Solidarity (SIMRET), led by former interim regional president Getachew Reda, along with several other local parties that have formally expressed interest in contesting the elections.
Melatwork also noted that the NEBE will publicly announce decisions on disputed areas between Tigray and Amhara when the nationwide polling station list is published on January 28, 2026. The process is expected to clarify which constituencies will be administered under which region ahead of the vote.
Meanwhile, the NEBE has set June 1, 2026, as the date for Ethiopia’s next General Elections. Candidate registration is scheduled to take place from January 9 to February 8, 2026, with final results to be declared on June 11. The board reported that 143 civil society organizations have been accredited to conduct voter education across the country.
NEBE said it will continue to monitor whether conditions are conducive for a credible election, emphasizing that assessments of the political and security environment will remain ongoing. Local elections are planned to follow at a later stage.
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