Ethiopia votes in delayed national election

Polls open against a backdrop of war and famine in the northern Tigray region and questions over the vote’s credibility.

Ethiopians are voting in a delayed national election that is running against the backdrop of war and famine in the northern Tigray region and questions over the poll’s credibility. Voting began in the capital Addis Ababa soon after the expected start time of 6am (03:00 GMT) with voters in face masks wrapped in blankets against the pre-dawn chill. Electoral officials in purple vests sprayed voters’ hands with sanitiser before checking their IDs against the register as part of measures against COVID. “Many Ethiopians went to the polls very early in the morning, as early as 4am in many places, to cast their vote,” said Al Jazeera’s Mohammed Adow from Addis Ababa.