President arrives in Addis for Premier Zenawi’s funeral

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and First Lady Mrs Janet Museveni passes on their condolences to the family l of Ethiopian Late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on 1/8/2012. PPU photo by Jacob Kalibbala Kato President Yoweri Museveni is in Addis Ababa to attend the funeral of the late Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi, who died last Monday in a Brussels Hospital.

Accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Janet Museveni, President Museveni was received on arrival at Bole International Airport this afternoon by an Ethiopian Ministerial led contingent, Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sam Kutesa, that of Defence, Dr. Crispus Kiyonga, Uganda’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Mr. Mull Katende and Deputy Ambassador, Idulle Amoko.

The President was earlier seen off at Entebbe International Airport by Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, Security Minister Mr. Muruli Mukasa and the Deputy Head of Public Service, Ms. Hilda Musbira. Others at the airport to see him off included the Commander of Air Force, Major General Jim Ow’oyesigire and the Commissioner General of Prisons, Dr. Johnson Byabashaija.

President Museveni travelled straight from Bole Airport to the Grand Palace where the body of the late Premier is lying in state. The President was expected to lay a wreath, sign the condolences book and condole the widow, Mrs. Azab Mesfine Zenawi.

The late Premier Meles Zenawi was born in 1965 and became the Prime of Ethiopia in 1995, leading the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front that had earlier stormed Addis Ababa in 1991 when they overthrew the administration of Mengistu Hailemariam.

Zenawi led an interim transitional government that in 1995 organized the national democratic elections in which he was elected Executive Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. His mandate as Premier has 3 times been renewed in 2000, 2005 and 2010 general elections.

During his tenure at the helm of the government of Ethiopia, Premier Zenawi steered the country on the path of economic recovery, witnessing unprecedented economic transformation and development that made Ethiopia one of the fastest growing economies of Africa.

He has also been a central player in regional and continental security especially being at the forefront in fighting Islamic fundamentalism in the Horn of Africa and providing peace keeping troops in Darfur and Abyei in the Sudan. Premier Zenawi leaves a widow and 3 children.

Deputy Prime Minister, HailemariamDesalegn, is expected to lead the country until next elections in 2015.