Alemayehu Atomsa

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Alemayehu Atomsa
Alamaayyoo Atomsaa
ዓለማየሁ አቶምሳ
Oromia Region
In office
6 September 2010 – 18 February 2014
Preceded byAbadula Gemeda
Succeeded byMuktar Kedir
Personal details
Born
Alamaayyoo Atomsaa

(1969-02-12)12 February 1969
Oromo People's Democratic Organization
Alma materEthiopian Civil Service University (LL.B.)
Peking University (M.P.P.)

Alemayehu Atomsa (

Oromia Region, the largest of the country's regions, from 2010 until his resignation due to illness in 2014,[1] from which he died in Bangkok, Thailand, on 6 March 2014.[2]

Early life and career

Alemayehu was born on 12 February 1969 in the village of Sere in

Oromo People's Democratic Organization (OPDO); he chose the latter.[citation needed
]

He received a law degree from the Ethiopian Civil Service University and a Master of Public Policy degree from Peking University in Beijing, China.[2]

Alemayehu started his career as a teacher. He rose to become the Director of the Information Agency of the Oromia Region, and then managing director of the

Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency.[4]

Alemayehu joined the armed struggle against the military junta of

EPRDF since the ousting of the military junta in 1991; among others, as head of Oromia's eastern Wolega zone and head of Oromia's western Wolega zone. Alemayehu served as Oromia's chief of security, as head of OPDO's political department and as head of OPDO's headquarters from 1996 to 2002. He was head of Oromia's Communications Bureau, then Director General of Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency from 2006 to 2010. In 2012, Alemayehu became Chairperson of OPDO and President of Oromia region.[3]

He was the father of two daughters and two sons.[4]

Presidency of the Oromia Region

Alemayehu, an "obscure figure with little connection to the OPDO’s rank and file" became president of the Oromia Region on 6 September 2010, succeeding former General

motorway, was built to connect the capital city of Addis Ababa to the city of Adama
, the largest city in the Oromia Region. However, within months of taking office, he fell severely ill due to food poisoning, and remained so throughout his tenure.[6] Thus for much of his tenure, he was abroad seeking medical treatment, and by 2013 he had "virtually withdrawn from public life" as a result.[4] In 2012, he tendered his resignation to then-Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, but it was rejected, as were several other requests, before his resignation was finally accepted on 17 February 2014.[5]

Illness and death

Alemayehu died of food poisoning on 6 March 2014 at the Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok, at 1AM, having received treatment for the five weeks prior.[2][5] Some opposition sources have suggested that foul play was at hand in his death, as his anti-corruption campaign threatened existing political figures.[7]

At a memorial service at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said that Alemayehu had been "a fighter and a comrade who worked tirelessly till the end for the people of Oromia and Ethiopia." Flags around the country flew for three days at half-mast.[8] Also expressing their condolences were President Mulatu Teshome, the House of Federation and the House of Peoples' Representatives.

References

  1. ^ "Ethiopian Regional States".
  2. ^ a b c d "Alemayehu Atomsa dies at age 45 after battle with "typhoid fever"". Awramba Times. 6 March 2014. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ a b "Profile| Alemayehu Atomsa, leader of Oromia, laid to rest". 9 March 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d "Oromia regional state president Alemayehu Atomsa steps down". Addis Journal. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  5. ^ a b c "Alemayehu Atomsa Dies". Addis Fortune. 6 March 2014. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  6. ^ "Capital Ethiopia". Capital Ethiopia. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  7. ^ "Alemayehu Atomsa Dies". ESAT. 6 March 2014. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014. It is to be recalled that ESAT, quoting some officials of the OPDO, had reported that Alemayehu Atomsa was 'poisoned' after consuming a food two years ago. Alemayehu's bodyguard has been also suffering from a similar disease since then.
  8. ^ "Alemayehu Atomssa laid to rest". Walta Information Centre. Archived from the original on 9 March 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
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