Kuma Demeksa
Encyclopedia
Kuma Demeksa is an Ethiopia
n politician. Since 30 October 2008 he has been mayor of Addis Ababa
; previous positions include President of the Oromia Region
(1995-2001), and Minister of Defense
(2005-2008). He was one of the founders, as well as a current member, of the Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization
(OPDO), which is part of the ruling coalition, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
(ERDPF).
Kuma was born in Gore
with the name "Taye Teklemariam", a town in the Illubabor Zone
, the oldest of three children. His father is Wodajo Tokon, a priest, who took the name Teklemariam after baptism; his mother is Muluye. He attended the Menelik II Primary School in Bore, despite a daily walk of 12 kilometers to and from school; he attended Hailessselassie I Senior Secondary School up to the tenth grade, when the Red Terror
closed his school. He then joined the army and was sent to the Jimma Police Training Camp in 1976. Not much is known about his years in the military, and his family had assumed he was dead when he returned to Gore in 1991 with his first wife and their daughter. Other sources claim that he spent several years as a prisoner of war in the Eritrean war
, and languished in the Eritrean People's Liberation Front
’s jails in Nakfa
. In circumstances that remain murky, Kuma and several other prisoners were released from Eritrean imprisonment to join the Ethiopian Peoples Democratic Movement (which later joined the Tigrean Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) to form the ERDPF) and fight against the Derg
in the Ethiopian Civil War
.
Following the fall of the Derg in 1991, Kuma was appointed as the Minister of Internal Affairs, the security agency of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia
, which was dissolved four years later with the founding of the Federal Republic, at which time Kuma Demeska became President of Oromia. However, on 24 July 2001 he was replaced as President of Oromia by Junedin Sado
, as well as expelled from the Central Committee. This was part of the fallout of an internal split within the TPLF, senior partner in the ERDPF alliance, which left Prime Minister Meles Zenawi
, Sebhat Nega and Arkebe Oqubay
on the one side, and Tewolde Wolde Mariam, Seeye Abraha
and Gebru Asrat
on the other. Kuma was remembered as acting as a peacemaker between the two factions. Despite this setback, he was reappointed the Central Committee of the OPDO in 2003, and was also appointed as one of the three state ministers for Capacity Building.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n politician. Since 30 October 2008 he has been mayor of Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
; previous positions include President of the Oromia Region
Oromia Region
Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...
(1995-2001), and Minister of Defense
Ministry of Defense (Ethiopia)
The Ministry of National Defense of Ethiopia is a cabinet level office in charge of defense related matters of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia...
(2005-2008). He was one of the founders, as well as a current member, of the Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization
Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization
The Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization is an ethnic-based political party in Ethiopia, and part of the alliance with the Amhara National Democratic Movement, the South Ethiopian Peoples' Democratic Front and the Tigrayan Peoples' Liberation Front that forms the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary...
(OPDO), which is part of the ruling coalition, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front is the ruling political coalition in Ethiopia. It is an alliance of four other groups: the Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization , the Amhara National Democratic Movement , the South Ethiopian Peoples' Democratic Front The Ethiopian People's...
(ERDPF).
Kuma was born in Gore
Gore, Ethiopia
Gore is a town in southwestern Ethiopia. Located south of Metu in the Illubabor Zone of the Oromia Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation of 2085 meters....
with the name "Taye Teklemariam", a town in the Illubabor Zone
Illubabor Zone
Illubabor is one of the 17 zones of the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Illubabor is named for the former province Illubabor. It is bordered on the south by the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, on the southwest by the Gambela Region, on the west by Misraq Welega, on the north by the...
, the oldest of three children. His father is Wodajo Tokon, a priest, who took the name Teklemariam after baptism; his mother is Muluye. He attended the Menelik II Primary School in Bore, despite a daily walk of 12 kilometers to and from school; he attended Hailessselassie I Senior Secondary School up to the tenth grade, when the Red Terror
Red Terror (Ethiopia)
The Ethiopian Red Terror, or Qey Shibir , was a violent political campaign in Ethiopia that most visibly took place once Communist Mengistu Haile Mariam achieved control of the Derg, the military junta, 3 February 1977...
closed his school. He then joined the army and was sent to the Jimma Police Training Camp in 1976. Not much is known about his years in the military, and his family had assumed he was dead when he returned to Gore in 1991 with his first wife and their daughter. Other sources claim that he spent several years as a prisoner of war in the Eritrean war
Eritrean War of Independence
The Eritrean War of Independence was a conflict fought between the Ethiopian government and Eritrean separatists, both before and during the Ethiopian Civil War. The war started when Eritrea’s autonomy within Ethiopia, where troops were already stationed, was unilaterally revoked...
, and languished in the Eritrean People's Liberation Front
Eritrean People's Liberation Front
The Eritrean People's Liberation Front was an armed organization that fought for the independence of Eritrea from Ethiopia. It emerged in 1970 as an intellectual left-wing group that split from the Eritrean Liberation Front .-Background:...
’s jails in Nakfa
Nakfa
Nakfa is* the currency of Eritrea, see Eritrean nakfa* a town in Eritrea, see Nakfa, Eritrea* a district in Eritrea, see Nakfa District...
. In circumstances that remain murky, Kuma and several other prisoners were released from Eritrean imprisonment to join the Ethiopian Peoples Democratic Movement (which later joined the Tigrean Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) to form the ERDPF) and fight against the Derg
Derg
The Derg or Dergue was a Communist military junta that came to power in Ethiopia following the ousting of Haile Selassie I. Derg, which means "committee" or "council" in Ge'ez, is the short name of the Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces, Police, and Territorial Army, a committee of...
in the Ethiopian Civil War
Ethiopian Civil War
The Ethiopian Civil War began on September 12, 1974 when the Marxist Derg staged a coup d'état against Emperor Haile Selassie, and lasted until the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front , a coalition of rebel groups, overthrew the government in 1991. The war overlapped other Cold War...
.
Following the fall of the Derg in 1991, Kuma was appointed as the Minister of Internal Affairs, the security agency of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia
Transitional Government of Ethiopia
The Transitional government of Ethiopia was established immediately after the fall of the Dergue regime. It was led by Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia. Zenawi remains the prime minister of Ethiopia to this day....
, which was dissolved four years later with the founding of the Federal Republic, at which time Kuma Demeska became President of Oromia. However, on 24 July 2001 he was replaced as President of Oromia by Junedin Sado
Junedin Sado
Junedin Sado is an Ethiopian politician.Jundein was president of the Oromia Region from 28 October 2001 until 6 October 2005 when he was replaced by Abadula Gemeda. He subsequently was appointed Transport and Communication Minister, which is the office he was holding when Prime Minister Meles...
, as well as expelled from the Central Committee. This was part of the fallout of an internal split within the TPLF, senior partner in the ERDPF alliance, which left Prime Minister Meles Zenawi
Meles Zenawi
Meles Zenawi Asres is the Prime Minister of Ethiopia. Since 1985, he has been chairman of the Tigrayan Peoples' Liberation Front , and is currently head of the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front .Meles was born in Adwa, Tigray in Northern Ethiopia, to an Ethiopian father from...
, Sebhat Nega and Arkebe Oqubay
Arkebe Oqubay
Arkebe Oqubay is an Ethiopian politician. He is a former mayor of Addis Ababa and is currently a State Minister of Works and Urban Development....
on the one side, and Tewolde Wolde Mariam, Seeye Abraha
Seeye Abraha
Siye Abraha was one of the leaders of the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front , and later a member of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front...
and Gebru Asrat
Gebru Asrat
Gebru Asrat is a former president of Tigray Region and one of the top leaders and executive central committee member as well as politburo member of the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front , and the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front.Gebru was born in Mekelle with in Enderta county, a...
on the other. Kuma was remembered as acting as a peacemaker between the two factions. Despite this setback, he was reappointed the Central Committee of the OPDO in 2003, and was also appointed as one of the three state ministers for Capacity Building.
Source
- "Kuma Demeksa defeated a dead candidate to become mayor" Ethiopian Review, 24 May 2008 (accessed 11 May 2009)