The joint meeting of Ethiopian House of People’s representative and Ethiopian House of Federation passed a decision to postpone National Population and Housing Census for a second time, reported state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporation (FBC).
Initially, it was scheduled to take place in 2017 /2018 fiscal year but was postponed to 2018/2019. The census is extended for one more year. It is extended on grounds of security consideration across the country.
Apparently, there were no divergences on the issue of extending the census. The difference was on how long to extend it. That remains uncertain due to instability plaguing the country.
Millions of people are currently internally displaced which is said to have a damaging impact on the census. National elections are scheduled eleven months from now (May 2020). With the census being postponed for a second time in less than a year, many are doubting if elections will be held on time.
Its one thing to postpone census but to postpone elections in an already tense and turbulent environment, could unleash a Pandora’s Box of catastrophic ramifications for Ethiopia.
We will keep you updated with the latest developments and updates from the region.
Halgan Media.
