Assembly elections were held in Eritrea on 5 and 6 September 1956.Tekeste Negash (1997) Eritrea and Ethiopia: The Federal Experience, Nordic Africa Institute, p115 All candidates ran as independents.Dolf Sternberger, Bernhard Vogel, Dieter Nohlen & Klaus Landfried (1978) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band II: Afrika, Erster Halbband, p332
Background Elections had previously been held in 1952 during the British administration. Following the elections, article 45 of the new Eritrean constitution required that the Legislative Assembly pass a new electoral law to replace the 1951 proclamation and establish an Electoral High Commission prior to the next elections. In 1953 the Assembly rejected a draft law, and the government obtained confirmation from the Attorney General that the 1951 proclamation would still be applicable.
However, this had not been done, and in the months leading up to the 1956 elections the Muslim League asked the Supreme Court to declare them unconstitutional.Negash, p116
Conduct The Eritrean police force began harassing opponents of the Unionist Party government in September 1955 under the leadership of pro-Unionist Tedla Ogbit. The federal authorities also intervened to "frighten off any possible opposition", and one anti-Unionist candidate, Muhammed Omar Akito, had a bomb thrown into his living room.Negash, p117
However, the Supreme Court made some interventions on behalf of the opposition, demanding opposition candidate Fessha Woldermariam be released from police detainment after he was arrested a week before nominations closed. It also confirmed the victory of opposition candidate Muhammed Omar Akito, which the Assembly had declared invalid.
Results A total of 188 candidates contested the 68 seats, with 32 Unionists elected.
Elected members DivisionElected memberAffiliationAkeleGuzai DivisionAto Ghebrekidan TesemmaAnti-UnionistBashai Habte TesfamikaelUnionist PartyDejach Berhe AsmeromAnti-UnionistAto Tewelde TedlaUnionist PartyFit. Negash BariaeghziUnionist PartyDej. Ghebrezghi GuangulAnti-UnionistFit. Saleh OmarAnti-UnionistSayid Ahmed Saleh BaroleAnti-UnionistSayid Sunabara DamanaAnti-UnionistGraz. Abdella OmarAnti-UnionistLij. Alemseged BelaiUnionist PartyAzmatch Reda GuangulUnionist PartyAsmara DivisionDemsas WoldemikaelUnionist PartyIbrahim Ali BekitAnti-UnionistSolomon HailemelokotUnionist PartyBerhanu AhmeddinAnti-UnionistHabtesghi OgbasghiUnionist PartyFessaha WoldemariamAnti-UnionistKeshi Meascio BeinUnionist PartyAssab DivisionRashid SirruHamasen DivisionBashai Tekeste SelebaBashai Ghebrehiwet TesfaiUnionist PartyAzmatch Hagos SerekeUnionist PartyAto Berhe GhebrehiwetUnionist PartyAto Belai GhebremariamUnionist PartyGraz. Ghebremariam TUnionist PartyKeren DivisionSayid Hussein KafeelAnti-UnionistSayid Ismael DaudSayid Sefaf HiyabuUnionist PartyCavalier Abbe MohammedAto Abreha WonderasUnionist PartySheik Hamid Sayid HamidSayid Yusuf Faki AliAnti-UnionistSayid Mohammed Ale AbdellaSayid Omar Sheikh Mohammed AmirAnti-UnionistSayid Mohammed Sayid M. HassenoAnti-UnionistHaj Mohammed Mussa MenderAnti-UnionistSayid Abdu Sheikh AliAnti-UnionistSayid Osman MohammedAnti-UnionistSayid Osman Abdurrahman SheferaiSayid Omar Adem IdrisAnti-UnionistSayid Al Hassan Mohammed AkolaSayid Hamid Ferej HamidSayid Adem Suleiman DigheSayid Mohammed Badumme KassuAnti-UnionistSayid Faid Tinga LonghiAnti-UnionistSayid Mohammed Arey AgabaMassawa DivisionHajj Osman Mohammed HindiAnti-UnionistAto Misgun BokruUnionist PartyMassawa Sub-DivisionSayid Mohammed Ali Sheikh el AminSheikh Kekkia PashaUnionist PartySayid Mohammed Ali MalikiSerae DivisionBashai Berhane TecleUnionist PartyAzmatch Fasil HabtuUnionist PartyKegnaz Yihdego GhebrerufaelUnionist PartyKeshi Woldeyohannes TzaduUnionist PartyAto Tesfai ZemikaelKeshi Dimetros GhebremariamUnionist PartyAto Nega NaizghiUnionist PartyAto Ogbe HaileUnionist PartyAzmatch Woldemikael BerakiUnionist PartyGraz. Asmerom WoldeghiorghisUnionist PartyAto Ghebremikael DerzoUnionist PartyGraz. Tesfamikael WerkeUnionist PartySource: Report On Elections For The Second Assembly Of Eritrea
Aftermath The self-dissolution of the Assembly in 1962 was the pretext for annexation of Eritrea by Imperial Ethiopia.
References