# 1956 Eritrean parliamentary election

Assembly elections were held in Eritrea on 5 and 6 September 1956. All candidates ran as independents.

## 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.

## 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.
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

| Division | Elected member | Affiliation |
| AkeleGuzai Division | Ato Ghebrekidan Tesemma | Anti-Unionist |
| AkeleGuzai Division | Bashai Habte Tesfamikael | Unionist Party |
| AkeleGuzai Division | Dejach Berhe Asmerom | Anti-Unionist |
| AkeleGuzai Division | Ato Tewelde Tedla | Unionist Party |
| AkeleGuzai Division | Fit. Negash Bariaeghzi | Unionist Party |
| AkeleGuzai Division | Dej. Ghebrezghi Guangul | Anti-Unionist |
| AkeleGuzai Division | Fit. Saleh Omar | Anti-Unionist |
| AkeleGuzai Division | Sayid Ahmed Saleh Barole | Anti-Unionist |
| AkeleGuzai Division | Sayid Sunabara Damana | Anti-Unionist |
| AkeleGuzai Division | Graz. Abdella Omar | Anti-Unionist |
| AkeleGuzai Division | Lij. Alemseged Belai | Unionist Party |
| AkeleGuzai Division | Azmatch Reda Guangul | Unionist Party |
| Asmara Division | Demsas Woldemikael | Unionist Party |
| Asmara Division | Ibrahim Ali Bekit | Anti-Unionist |
| Asmara Division | Solomon Hailemelokot | Unionist Party |
| Asmara Division | Berhanu Ahmeddin | Anti-Unionist |
| Asmara Division | Habtesghi Ogbasghi | Unionist Party |
| Asmara Division | Fessaha Woldemariam | Anti-Unionist |
| Asmara Division | Keshi Meascio Bein | Unionist Party |
| Assab Division | Rashid Sirru | |
| Hamasen Division | Bashai Tekeste Seleba | |
| Hamasen Division | Bashai Ghebrehiwet Tesfai | Unionist Party |
| Hamasen Division | Azmatch Hagos Sereke | Unionist Party |
| Hamasen Division | Ato Berhe Ghebrehiwet | Unionist Party |
| Hamasen Division | Ato Belai Ghebremariam | Unionist Party |
| Hamasen Division | Graz. Ghebremariam T | Unionist Party |
| Keren Division | Sayid Hussein Kafeel | Anti-Unionist |
| Keren Division | Sayid Ismael Daud | |
| Keren Division | Sayid Sefaf Hiyabu | Unionist Party |
| Keren Division | Cavalier Abbe Mohammed | |
| Keren Division | Ato Abreha Wonderas | Unionist Party |
| Keren Division | Sheik Hamid Sayid Hamid | |
| Keren Division | Sayid Yusuf Faki Ali | Anti-Unionist |
| Keren Division | Sayid Mohammed Ale Abdella | |
| Keren Division | Sayid Omar Sheikh Mohammed Amir | Anti-Unionist |
| Keren Division | Sayid Mohammed Sayid M. Hasseno | Anti-Unionist |
| Keren Division | Haj Mohammed Mussa Mender | Anti-Unionist |
| Keren Division | Sayid Abdu Sheikh Ali | Anti-Unionist |
| Keren Division | Sayid Osman Mohammed | Anti-Unionist |
| Keren Division | Sayid Osman Abdurrahman Sheferai | |
| Keren Division | Sayid Omar Adem Idris | Anti-Unionist |
| Keren Division | Sayid Al Hassan Mohammed Akola | |
| Keren Division | Sayid Hamid Ferej Hamid | |
| Keren Division | Sayid Adem Suleiman Dighe | |
| Keren Division | Sayid Mohammed Badumme Kassu | Anti-Unionist |
| Keren Division | Sayid Faid Tinga Longhi | Anti-Unionist |
| Keren Division | Sayid Mohammed Arey Agaba | |
| Massawa Division | Hajj Osman Mohammed Hindi | Anti-Unionist |
| Massawa Division | Ato Misgun Bokru | Unionist Party |
| Massawa Sub-Division | Sayid Mohammed Ali Sheikh el Amin | |
| Massawa Sub-Division | Sheikh Kekkia Pasha | Unionist Party |
| Massawa Sub-Division | Sayid Mohammed Ali Maliki | |
| Serae Division | Bashai Berhane Tecle | Unionist Party |
| Serae Division | Azmatch Fasil Habtu | Unionist Party |
| Serae Division | Kegnaz Yihdego Ghebrerufael | Unionist Party |
| Serae Division | Keshi Woldeyohannes Tzadu | Unionist Party |
| Serae Division | Ato Tesfai Zemikael | |
| Serae Division | Keshi Dimetros Ghebremariam | Unionist Party |
| Serae Division | Ato Nega Naizghi | Unionist Party |
| Serae Division | Ato Ogbe Haile | Unionist Party |
| Serae Division | Azmatch Woldemikael Beraki | Unionist Party |
| Serae Division | Graz. Asmerom Woldeghiorghis | Unionist Party |
| Serae Division | Ato Ghebremikael Derzo | Unionist Party |
| Serae Division | Graz. Tesfamikael Werke | Unionist Party |
| Source: 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.