Mock Debate to Strengthen Political Parties’ Skills Has Ended
The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has been holding a mock debate between political parties, which took place from October 21st to October 24th, 2025, and has now ended. The mock debate has been holding following the NEBE presented the draft election timetable for political parties a day before. The debate which amid in enhancing the skills of political parties in debating various policies and programs, was moderated by Media and Communications Professional named Getachew Dinku (PhD) and Blen Fitsum. In all round of the mock debate the professionals have given expertise critics for the debaters debating methodologies. Participant political parties, on the other hand, have expressed their criticisms of the policies and programs of the parties, while voting has been conducted in every round of the debate. At the end of the four day mock debate, participant politicians expressed their appreciation to the NEBE for initiating the idea and conducting the mock debate. They stated that the Board should be supported in order to conduct similar capacity building programs.
The Board’s Chairperson, Melatwork Hailu, in her closing remarks, thanked the participant political parties for taking part in the mock debate. She stated that the parties' debating skills had been demonstrated in many ways. In line with this, Melatwork emphasized that the parties must work hard alongside the Board’s efforts to build the capacity of political parties. Since elections take place once every five years, the parties should use these opportunities to achieve good results, she said. At the end of her remarks, she honored the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) and the professionals who moderated the mock debate.
In addition, the Ethiopian Electoral, Political Parties Registration and Election’s Code of Conduct Proclamation No. 1162/2019 states that parties (candidates) shall be entitled to access free airtime on state-owned mass media to demonstrate their policies and programs. An election debate is another option for doing so.
