Seeye Abraha, former strongman of the TPLF, feels he
should not have been in jail for a day, let alone
for six years. He is, however, pleased to see the
joy his release has brought to his family when he
greeted well-wishers on Wednesday night, June 11,
2007. He spent six years before the Supreme Court
sentenced him to five years imprisonment, and a 500
Br fine, after convicting him of involvement in
grand corruption.
“I am pleased to join my family and see them happy,”
Seeye told Fortune on Wednesday late
afternoon, in his first telephone interview he gave
from his home. To his left is his younger sister,
Temnit Abraha, while on the right is Tewolde W.
Mariam.
CUD Leaders Appeal for Amnesty Under Review:
Says Gov't
An appeal made by leaders of the Coalition for Unity
and Democracy (CUD), many of whom were sentenced to
life in prison, is under review by a board that is
constitutionally mandated to such responsibilities,
said the Prime Minister's Office on Monday night,
July 16, 2007. The announcement was made the same
day the Federal High Court, First Criminal Bench,
sentenced 35 CUD leaders to life imprisonment.
FEATURE-DJIBOUTI:
Uncertain Past - Promising Future
A
generation from its colonial past, Djibouti is in the
process of an economic recovery that has given its citizens
regained confidence in the future of their country, observes
Tamrat G. Giorgis, Fortune Staff Writer. He was in
Djibouti recently, where he witnessed the country
celebrating its 30th year of independence from France, on
June 27, 1977.
The
idea to transform the traditional consultant’s
practice in Ethiopia into one of a professional and
internationally respected career requires training
and networking as well as improvement in academic
backgrounds. Complaints have been levied by a senior
researcher from the Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA)
and other stakeholders that inefficiency of the
consultancy companies in Ethiopia manifests itself
in the lack of knowledge-based services.
Experts in the field express concern that the
absence of diligent commitment
..........
JOSHUA
YAU,
a Wharton bound student currently working with Precise
Consulting and VEGA Ethiopia AGOA in Addis Abeba; and
HENOK ASSEFA an economist, private sector development
expert and .....
Natives of Harar
from Addis Abeba and overseas gathered on the hill of Chelelnko,
88Km from the town of Harar, on Friday, July 5, 2007, at the start
of a 28-day festival of the town’s 1,000 year birthday. Nine buses
full of people, each carrying 60 people, arrived at the scene,
accompanied by the Regional President and his Cabinet members.
Chelelnko has a
historical significance to the Harari people for they have paid
dearly to maintain their autonomous status against the advancing
forces of Emperor Menelik, according to Murad Abdulhadi, president
of the Harari Regional State. The hill had a small house that
contained the remains of 700 brides who have died during the war.
The President sat alongside elders to chant a verse from the Qur’an
on Friday.
According to Murad,
5,000 Harari natives residing overseas are expected to visit Harar
during the coming months. Many have already arrived as seen from the
market to Harari cultural halls.
INTERVIEW
WITH MESFIN NAMARRA
Following the Ministry of Finance and Economic
Development's (MoFED) report on the record
high federal budget of 43.9 billion Br submitted to
Parliament, debate ensued on the floor. Time,
however, was limited for Parliamentarians to fully
express their concerns about fiscal expenditure in
the coming year. FORTUNE STAFF WRITER ESAYAS BIRU
went deeper
into the issues surrounding the budget with MESFIN
NAMARRA, member of parliament (MP) from the
Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM).
You could have had two chances
of acquiring condominium houses had you registered with your
wives' names.
Brehane Deressa, mayor of the
Addis Abeba City Caretaker Administration (AACCA), told men in
the second condominium raffle ceremony on July 8, 2007. While
30pc of the condominiums will be designated for women only, they
are also given a chance to participate in a raffle to obtain the
remaining 70pc of the condominium houses.
The
Millennium hoopla has taken on a much different tone amongst
members of the Diaspora when compared to the touting of
dreams for a better future heard in the voices of many
citizens and government officials.
