Wayne Lumbasi
Ethiopia’s National Election Board has officially declared a landslide victory for the ruling Prosperity Party in the country’s seventh general election, clearing the path for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to secure another five year term. According to final figures released by the board deputy chairperson Tesfaye Neway during an official ceremony in the capital on Sunday, the Prosperity Party captured an overwhelming 438 out of 486 contested seats in the House of Peoples’ Representatives, amounting to roughly 90% of the declared vote. The sweeping victory grants the incumbent party a definitive mandate to form the next federal government when Parliament reconvenes from recess in October.
The election results highlight a sharp contrast between the government’s narrative of economic triumph and the deeply rooted regional instability continuing to fracture Africa’s second most populous nation. Campaigning heavily on a platform of development and food security, Abiy’s administration has projected national economic growth to top an impressive 10% this year. The rapid infrastructure modernization visibly transforming parts of Addis Ababa served as a central symbol of the Prosperity Party’s promise of future progress.
However, outside the capital, the reality on the ground paints a far more complicated picture. Out of the 547 total seats in the lower house of parliament, only 501 were even put up for a vote. Elections were entirely suspended across the northern Tigray region due to political turmoil and volatile conditions following the civil war from 2020 to 2022. Furthermore, ongoing fighting between federal forces and regional militias blocked voting in parts of the Amhara region, while clashes continue to plague parts of Oromia.
Compounding the logistical friction, the election board announced it has moved to completely revoke election results in 15 additional constituencies due to serious misconduct, ordering reruns for those areas in the near future.
While international partners and state officials, including newly appointed President Taye Atske Selassie, attended the ceremony to mark the culmination of the massive electoral exercise which saw over 54 million citizens register to vote, opposition groups have fiercely challenged its legitimacy. A highly fragmented opposition won a combined total of just 48 seats.
Abiy Ahmed originally ascended to power in 2018 amid a wave of anti government protests, capturing global acclaim and a 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for early democratic reforms and a historic peace pact with neighboring Eritrea. Yet, as he prepares to cement his political dominance this fall, the Prime Minister faces a mountain of challenges.
Beyond domestic ethnic rifts and economic pressures, Ethiopia’s foreign relations remain precarious. Regional anxieties have spiked over Abiy’s aggressive push for sea access, fueling friction with Eritrea, while the government’s stance on the conflict in neighboring Sudan has further isolated Addis Ababa from other regional players.
With a supermajority firmly locked in, Abiy has secured the legal mandate to lead, but whether this victory can translate into genuine national stability remains the defining question for Ethiopia’s future.
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