Voters look at a list of provisional results at a polling station in Addis Ababa. Photograph: Karel Prinsloo/AP
May, what a lovely month for an election. Yesterday approximately 90% of eligible voters turned out to do their democratic duty in Ethiopia's general election. 90%. Just to remind you, roughly 60% of us bothered to turn up at the polls or drop a ballot in the postbox earlier this month. For shame.
Early reports indicate that the opposition has made significant gains in an election declared free and fair by former US president Jimmy Carter, who led a team of international election observers. Formal results will not be announced until June 8.
Ethiopia Daily lists all the relevant wire reports, so you can follow the news as individual polling stations report their results.
Unlike the sham election in Togo last month, this one looks like it may stand as a shining example of a democracy establishing itself in Africa. That's a result that should make even Bob Geldof smile.
