The electoral board has announced that it will not be able to conduct the election before the current government’s term of office expires. The constitution does not allow for the declaration of a state of emergency specifically to postpone an election or extend a government’s term. The dissolution of parliament pursuant to Article 60 only allows for an election to be held prior to the expiry of the five-year term. Unfortunately, the constitution does not stipulate a mechanism for the postponement of elections or extension of terms of office. After a careful and considered review of the proposed alternatives, we, the undersigned parties, issue the following statement.

Source: Ethiopian News May 04, 2020 20:15 UTC