Africa-Press – Ethiopia. Voters in Wolaita zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s region (SNNP) are casting their ballots in a rerun referendum to decide whether the zone should join five other zones (Konso, South Omo, Gamo, Gedeo and Gofa) and five special districts (Burji, Basketo, Ale, Amaro, Derashe) who voted to establish a new “Southern Ethiopia Region” in a referendum held on 06 February.
According to the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) the referendum is ongoing in 1812 polling stations in the Wolaita zone, where the result of the February referendum was annulled due to massive irregularities pre and during election process and complaints of vote fraud.
NEBE verified and approved the results of the referendum except in Wolaita zone where it said “activities considered as serious operational violations” were committed in several polling stations in the Zone, as a result opted to hold rerun.
Mismatching of voters signatures, deleting and reconfiguring election result papers, suspicious 100% voters turnout, involvement of local officials by handing out temporary IDs for voters on the election day etc, are among the many serious procedural violations that NEBE reported to have occurred.
There has been long lasting quest of statehood in Wolaita zone. In August 2020, regional security forces arrested leaders of the statehood movement including the then zonal Administrator Dagato Kumbe, consequently, these arrests were met with protests where security forces killed 21 people according to the Wolaita People’s Democratic Front party, and 18 individuals were injured in the deadly violence.
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