Two women in Oromia and Amhara regional states have reportedly given birth to a baby boy and baby girl, respectively, right after casting their votes.
According to Hetosa Woreda Communication Office, Aberash Gutta was moved quickly to a hospital close to the polling station where she birthed a baby boy.
Similarly, another Wubayehu Worku -–who had birth pangs while casting her ballot in Chagni Constituency of the Awi Zone was delivered of a baby girl.
Excited that she birthed on Election Day, Wubayehu stated that the child and herself are in good condition.
On the conduct of the elections, Opposition leader Berhanu Nega said his Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice party (Ezema) had filed 207 complaints.
Officials and local militia prevented observers from entering many polling units in the Amhara region and in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region, he said.
Birtukan warned that “This will jeopardise the credibility of the election process…local officials and law enforcement officers should immediately take corrective measures.”
Most areas, especially the capital had peaceful voting. Many polling stations opened late thereby causing the electoral commission to extended voting nationwide by three hours.
Many polling stations still had long lines at the initially stipulated closing time.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has said the elections for national and regional parliaments show his commitment to democracy.
“I hope it will be the best election in history,” he told journalists after voting.
Ahmed had got a Nobel Peace Prize for making peace with neighbouring Eritrea; promoting democracy & human rights in the country. Two years on, using that ‘peace’ with Eritrea, he has been complicitous in terrible atrocities in Tigray.