Jigjiga (SD) – Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State is set to hold its sixth general election today, initially scheduled to be held on June 21 of this year.

More than five million registered voters will cast their ballots at 4,557 polling stations in the Regional State, according to the Federal election commission.

Today’s election was boycotted by most opposition parties, and is currently contested by the ruling Barwaqo party, the Western Somali Democratic Party and independent candidates.

273 members of the local parliament 22 of the 23 Federal MP’s will be elected today in the Somali Region, the election ends tonight at 6:00 pm.

It is the first local election since the change of government in which Prime Minister Abi Ahmed took office.