Abstract:
In Ethiopia, like some world countries, the national election has been postponed. However, the
prolongation of the 2020 national election of Ethiopia more than two times had socio-political
impacts on the country. Therefore, the investigator has assessed the impact of COVID-19 on the
Ethiopian 2020 National Election: Challenges and Opportunities. The qualitative approach has
been used in this study. The design that has been applied in this research is exploratory design.
And lastly, the collected data based on semi-structured in-depth interviews and document analysis
were analyzed by the thematic data analysis method. Accordingly, the finding reveals that the
extension of the election has political gains like, the extension of the election has created an
opportunity for the NEBE to be more prepared for the next election and also, it was important for
political parties to get time for a political campaign and announce their ideologies to the people.
On other hand, the prolongation of elections has political costs. An extension of the election used
as a triggering factor to starting the war and conflict in some parts of the country that results to
tarnished the image of the country internationally, it has put diplomatic pressure on the country
and, the conflict has caused neighboring countries to intimidate the country. In terms of social
security, as an assumption, the extension of the election has saved the people somewhat from the
expansion of the Coronavirus epidemic to some extent. On other hand, the prolongation of the
election was used as a reason for a good opportunity to start war and conflicts in some parts of
the country. As a result of the war and conflicts, a severe social crisis has occurred. For instance,
the death of innocent citizens, human rights abuses, the rape of women and children, and mass
displacement of people.
Keywords: Impacts, Election, Postponement, Prolongation, National Election, Ethiopia