“if slaughterhouses have glass walls, everybody will be vegetarian”
Teshome Debalke
August 15, 2018
While Ethiopians in the diaspora celebrate Prime Minster Abiy Ahmed unity campaign tour in North American under a shadow of questionable events’ organizers in collaboration with TPLF operatives infested Ethiopian Embassy Washington D.C. and the Consulate in Los Angles with dubious Medias covering the events, the news — ‘PM Abiy set up 21 members Advisory Council on privatization of large public enterprises to “ensure the process is managed with utmost transparency and accountability” came on Aug 3, 2018 over a tweet (see the tweet left) from the PM’s Chief of Stuff/Secretory Fesum Arega few days after the PM returned home is nothing more than TPLF corrupt operatives’ predetermined decision to find fall guys to rubberstamp the privatization legitimacy.
The Former Long-time Head of the Addis Ababa Investment Agency and the Ethiopian Investment Commission Director General Fesum Arega turn PM’s Chief of Stuff/Secretory is the same man that oversaw closeup the most corrupt investment scheme led by TPLF oligarchs and their operatives from around the world in the last decade. He is also a Board Member of Shebele Transport S.C, Addis International Bank S.C.(AdIB) and Addis Credit & Saving Institution (ACSI), according to infamous English weekly Addis Fortune.
But, by some strange coincidence Fesum was appointed as State Minster in Prime Minster office by the shadowy House of Federation Council of Ministers and ended up as Chief of Stuff/Secretory of the new Prime Minster Abiy Ahmed — accompanying him on every event in-and-out of the country ever since including, his recent North America tour.
Ever since his appointment, many contradictory news came from the same sources on different international Medias since the new PM came to office in April of 2018. The latest from the PM Chief of Staff/Secretory regarding privatization was the August 3, 2018 Press Release over a tweet ‘PM Abiy set up 21 members Advisory Council on privatization of large public enterprises at a speed of light to the surprise of many of the members.
Three weeks earlier on July 16, 2018 Nizar Manek of Bloomberg’s report titled “Ethiopia shelves planes deals, map out privatization plan” talking to the only person – CEO of the long-time Ethiopian Airline Tewolde Gibermedhin.
Over a month earlier on June 5 2018 Bloomberg report; Ethiopia to Open Up Telecoms, Airline to Foreign Investors by Nizar Manek and John Bowker quoted the same Ethiopian Airlines’ CEO Tewolde Gibermedhin saying; ‘privatization plan sanctioned by Ethiopian politburo last month are more likely to see foreign involvement in various operating unit than an outright stake sale’ and went on to say; “the carrier logistic arm which has venture with Deutsche Post AG’s DHL brand, can be transformed in to joint holding, giving the Germen company 49% stake within weeks”.
On Aug 4, 2018 Reuters Staff ‘reporting by Omer Mohammed; edited by Jason Neely’ once again took Fesume’s tweet as an official and only source reported; Ethiopian’s PM Abiy set up a team to advice on privatization’. The report claims; ‘Abiy’s government has said that it is open to selling off a host of state-owned firms, either partially or entirely, as part of economic reform designed to “unleash the potential of the private sector”.
It is not clear the statement quoted by Reuters Staff reporter Omer Mohammed came from the PM Abiy himself, his Chief of Staff/Secretory Fesum Arega, the Airlines’ CEO Gibermedhin or another government official. But, as far as the Airlines’ CEO is concerned, privatization sanctioned by Ethiopian politburo need no advisory team as people are led to believe.
At the meantime, the U.S. based AIN online that specialize in Aviation and Aerospace news in June 11, 2018 report titled “government to cede minority stake in Ethiopian Airline” reported by Kaleyesus Bekle reveled; “As part of an effort to alleviate a foreign currency crunch, the government of Ethiopia has passed a resolution to partially privatize the country’s giant state-owned enterprises, including the 100 percent publicly owned national flag carrier” –unlike what Airlines’ CEO insist “it will help the company grow further” or what ‘the government’ claims to “unleash the potential of the private sector”.
At the same time, AllAfrica known to source only government and party affiliated Medias like the English language Addis Fortune reported; the advisory team ‘members come from government, the private sector, academia, international institutions and diaspora community’ without detail of their background and experience and further reviled an official saying “we are expected to submit our recommendation within a year, Teklewold who currently heading the finical affairs office in the Prime Minster office”. Apparently, what Addis Fortune conspicuously didn’t want the public to know was; the person who said it is the Former Long-time Governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia Teklewold Atanafu, a TPLF operatives that was removed from his position accused of providing illegal loans guarantee to EFFORT, according June 1 ESAT report.
It is not clear how the long-time Former TPLF appointed Governor of the Central Bank of Ethiopia Teklewold with shady background and education ended up working as Head of the Finical Affairs in the Prime Minster office and as a member of the Advisory Council on privatization of public assets at the same time to say; reforming a lawless Mafia State within is not going to be an easy task for the new PM Abiy as many think.
But, what Airlines’ CEO Tewolde Gibermedhin, Chief of Stuff/Secretory of the PM Fesume Arega and Finance Affairs Head of PM Teklewold Atanafu or reporter Kaleysus wouldn’t say is, TPLF affiliated enterprises are position to take over more public assets disguised as domestic or foreign investor using the new PM office is real.
Take for instance transport and logistic companies MACCFA Fright Logistic Plc established in 1994 and Segon Marill International Movers by a clandestine TPLF operative and CEO Mulugeta Assefa positioned to take a stake on the Airlines’ privatization skim.
Apparently, CEO Tewolde Gibermedhin that oversee the Airline, Teklewold Atanafu that oversaw the Nation’s foreign exchange reserve and regulate the money supply as a Governor and now the Finance Head in the PM office, Fesume Arega that oversaw the investment as Director General of the Investment Commission now in charge of PM office are all strategically placed TPLF operatives. Likewise, reporter Kaleysus that freelance on AIN online works for Media Communication Center — the publisher of The Reporter masquerade as Free Press since 1991 led by CEO Amare Aragawi, a member of TPLF party. No wonder they don’t raise TPLF party owned and affiliated enterprises’ massive corruption, moneylending, extortion and conspiracy to defraud the people of Ethiopia in the last 27 years and going as we speak.
Therefore, beside rubberstamping the already predetermined ‘domestic and foreign investors to gabble up more public enterprises; no one knows what members of the Advisory Council on privatization of public asset can do but, be spectators. Nor, except the few familiar political figures with no clue of the complex legal, financial and security preparation and process that requires in the privatization of public assets; no one knows the undisclosed background of the rest of the members to the public.
Tewodros Dawit, with a title of CEO of Ethiopian Airports Enterprises staged interview on the government owned EBC Media with unnamed reporter summarizes the intricate development, finance, management of Airports at the public expenses in preparation in takeover of undisclosed preapproved domestic and foreign investors as it was planned by TPLF operatives in diaspora led by the infamous Zemedenhe Negatu, the Former Ernest Young East Africa Managing Partner and the Present Chairman of Fairfax Africa Equity Fund that invest in Ethiopia on undisclosed investment.
With no independent data and institutions available to protect the public interest nor the opportunity for the ‘Free Press’ to investigate the shoddy ‘domestic and foreign investors’, corrupt government officials, TPLF operatives and members of the Advisory Council with all kinds of conflict of interests in privatization, “to ensure the utmost transparency and accountability of the process” coming from Fesum Arega shows his complicity and cover up to undermine PM reform effort through shoddy individuals in the Advisory team to use-and-abuse the rest as fall guys for the most elaborate hostile takeover of public assets scum never heard in modern history of Africa.
Therefore, once again; Fesum and his diaspora accomplices that lack transparency and accountability themselves failed to disclose who-is-who in TPLF affiliated domestic and foreign investors he oversaw under his long tenor in the Investment Commission before he conveniently become the Chief of Staff/Secretory of the new PM to outsource the blame on clueless members of the Advisory Council. In that regard, some of the members of the Advisory Council on privatization disguised as innocent individuals speaks volume how the new PM is being played while distracted by the chaos created throughout the country.
Incidentally, Media outlets and concerned civic societies’ dismal record on investigating contemporary dysfunctional elites’ ‘the cart before the horse’ politics and massive corruption and conflict of interest left the people of Ethiopia in perpetual confusion before the new Prime Minster can figure out what is going on to reform the intricate Mafia State TPLF created. It would remaine the # 1 problem for PM reform efforts as well as the people of Ethiopia until the Free Press and independent institutions began to sort out who-is-who undermining the reform and playing the people of Ethiopia as suckers.
Here are the Advisory Council members listed on official tweet of the PM’s Chief of Stuff/Secretory Fesum with some of their public profile found in public domain.
Representing international institutions and investors
#3. Alemayehu Seyoum Taffesse, Senior Research Fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), according THEIGC. The Washington based IFPRI that opened office in Addis Ababa in 2008 to advice the government of Ethiopia on food policy has strange fellows in its rank-and files. Regardless, no one knows what a food policy research fellow can contribute in privatization of public assets.
#5. Bekele Geleta the Former Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies between 2008 and 2014. Previously he served as Secretary General to the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (1984-1988), Head of Africa Department (1995-2003) and Head of the South East Asia Regional Delegation (2004-2007). His LinkedIn Profile reviles he has no official job at present and no one knows what a world renown charity organization Head would do in Advisory Council on privatization.
# 6. Abebe Aemiroselase, the little-known Former Economic Adviser for the Transitional Government of Ethiopia in the early 90s was recommended for IMF position by the late PM Melse Zenawi. At present he is African Head at IMF responsible to oversee the Fund’s policy in Africa (see his Bio according to IMF). It is not clear what IMF interest may be in the privatization of public enterprises of Ethiopia beside to insure international creditors including IMF are paid from the proceeds of privatization.
# 15. Kassi Kebde (real name Kassaye Kebede). The X-husband of the renowned international model Liya Kebde was the Founder and CEO of the New York based Panton Wealth Management he established in 2004 until it was closed in October of 2017 for undisclosed reasons. He is also the Founder and CEO of a Cayman Island based Panton Alternative Private Fund established in 2009, according U.S. Security and Exchange Commission (SEC).
In 2016 Kebde and his Addis Ababa based partner established Cepheus Growth Capital where he serves as Managing Partner. The ‘Ethiopia focused private equity Cepheus Growth Capital’, according to European Investment Bank (EIB) 12 October 2017 Press Release. is claiming to invest in local SMC (Small-and-Medium companies).
With nearly a billion dollars fund of undisclosed individuals under Kassaye Kebede’s Cayman Island Firm management and several investment portfolios in Ethiopia prior establishing Cepheus, it is not clear who picked him to be part of the Advisory Council on privatization of public assets nor why his background was not disclosed to the public. In addition, no one knows whether the ‘private funds’ he managed participated in buying some of the over 360 public enterprises sold in the last two decades under TPLF appointed Head of the Privatization & Public Enterprises Supervising Agency (PPESA).
#14. Dr. Tegegnework Gettu is the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). He previously held the post of Under-Secretary-General for General Assembly and Conference Management. It is not clear what a conference management expert provides in the Advisory Council on privatization.
Representing the Government of Ethiopia
# 18. Dr. Abraham Tekeste, Minister of Finance and Economic Cooperation of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Governor of Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank since December 31, 2016.
# 19. Dr. Yinager Dessie, the present Governor Bank of Ethiopia appointed in June of 2018 replacing the Former Long-time Governor Teklewold Atnafu. Dr. Yinager previously served as National Plan Commissioner, according to public record.
# 21. Ambassador Girma Birru, the infamous long-time Ethiopian Ambassador to U.S. previous posted as Ambassador to Kenya. He is the current member of OPDO central committee.
Representing the Media
# 4 Wzro Maaza Birru, general manager at Sheger FM102.1 radio Ethiopia. The only Media representative in the Advisory Council not known to promote the Free Press nor to criticize the ruling party’s atrocities and corruption. But, from all Medias in-and-out of the country it is not clear why and who picked Maaza Birru of Sheger FM102.1 and what the station could contribute to investigate the Councils members’ conflict of interest is not known.
Representing the private sector
#1. Eyesuswork Zafu, ‘a corporate leader with global experience in the insurance business, has assumed the position of Chairperson of the Board for United Bank S.C’, according to public record.
#10. W/ro Sara Aberra, the celebrated entrepreneurial and fashion designer of Muya Ethiopia PLC, a wholesale exporter. Again no one knows what she knows about privatization of public asset.
Representing ‘opposition’ political parties
# 5. Prof. Bekele Gerba, the General Secretory of the Oromo National Congress party that came out of jail by PM Abiy not long ago.
# 7. Lidatu Ayallew, the controversial Former Chairman of the Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP) is quoted by Addis Fortune saying; ‘the part we play will be in political side of the privatization of state enterprise”. No one knows what “the political side of the privatization of state enterprise” means beside demanding a complete disclosure of the background and conflict of interest of the Advisory Council’s members and all participants in the process.
# 8. Prof. Beyene Petros, the long-time self-described representative of the Southern Peoples Nations and Nationalities in the opposition.
#16. Ato Girma Seifu, the former lone-opposition party in the parliament until the ruling EPRDF party took all the seats. No one knows if he is affiliated with any political party at present since he migrated to U.S. under undisclosed status.
# 17. Ato Lencho Batti, the Former member of Oromo Liberation Front and the relatively new Oromo Democratic Front (ODF) party Secretory General that recently returned to Ethiopia with ODF leaders after decades in exile.
No one knows why the oppositions leaders volunteered in privatization of public enterprises Advisory Council instead of tending their parties’ affairs for the upcoming national election and in helping the PM’s initiated political and economic reforms. With no access to data on public asset and who-is-who investing and divesting in Ethiopia under TPLF instigated political turmoil to blindly accept and participate in selling off the last remaining public asset amount to volunteering to self-incriminate.
Representing Academia
# 3. Dr. Aynalem Megersa, Assistant professor at Addis Ababa University in the Center for Gender studies, and expert on Rural women’s employment and marriage in Ethiopia. No one knows what he would contribute on the Advisory Council on privatization.
# 12. Prof. Tasew Woldehana Kahsay – President of Addis Ababa University since February 2018 Tassew is a part-time Assistant Professor in the Agricultural Economics and Rural Policy Group at Wageningen University. His main research interests are farm and off-farm employment, and farm household economics. He is also part of the Ethiopian Development Research Institute, according International Growth Centre (IGC)
Representing Civic organizations
# 13 Dr. Tsegaye Berehe, Director of Africa Programs for Wide Horizons for Children and Member of TPLF politburo. Again, no one knows what he can advices on privatization of public enterprises.
Conclusion
In article, The Plot to sell Public Enterprises is not reform but, plunder by a different name
we showed how TPLF oligarchs and operatives masquerading as innocent Ethiopians are holding the new PM hostage.
Therefore, once again; ‘Is Prime Minster Abiy gamed or is he part of the game on privatization of public enterprises’ is timely question to ask. Thus, given his unprecedented will to reform the rotten and corrupt ethnic apartheid regime within, the more plausible explanation for the contradiction on privatization of public asset and the lack of transparency and conflict of interest by the dozen members of the Advisory Council on privatization and surrounded by the same old TPLF operatives as reflected by some of the members of his cabinet including Fesum Arega and Teklewold Atanafu as well as Foreign Minister Wokenhe Gebyew, it is wise to freeze any asset transfer until independent committee is formed to the satisfaction of the public and all other stakeholders and until the Free Press have access to the data and investigate the participants.
But, when that wasn’t enough, way before the new PM North America trip on July 19, 2018 the Ethiopian Embassy in the EU Capital of Belgium put out a Press Release titled Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund ready to start collecting funds’ and gave a list of 20 money transfer companies to use.
It is not clear why the Embassy in Belgium as oppose the Foreign Ministry under Workenhe Gebeyhe put out a Press Release and before the Diaspora Trust Fund Advisory Council Chaired by Professor Al Mariam was formed remained a mystery.
About a week after the PM returned home, on Aug 9, 2018 another Press Release claiming; The Office of Prime Minster of Ethiopia announced the formation of the Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund Advisory Council with a list of 15 members tweeted by Chief of Staff/Secretory Fesum Arega stating;
“HE Prime Minster Dr. Abiy Ahmed announce the formation of the Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund Advisory Council and its members. He thanks and encourages all individuals and groups who have taken initiative to cooperate with the council”
Once again, it is not clear why all the Diaspora Advisory Council’s members listed were only U.S. nationals and who picked the 20 money transfer companies listed on the Ethiopian Embassy in Belgium’s Press Release and, how and who evaluated for their transparency.
Interestingly, unlike the 21 members Advisory Council on privatization on public enterprises in Ethiopia, the 15 members Diaspora Trust Fund Advisory Council partial profiles in the U.S. were provided on the Chief of Staff/Secretory Fesum Arega tweet attached with Press Release.
No one knows who recommended the members of the two Councils to the Prime Minster nor what they know about privatization and trust fund to volunteer as members. Even with the little information provided; it is obvious some of the members have serious conflict of interest to be part of the council.
Incidentally, by some strange coincidence or by design; the only member on both Advisory Councils is “Kassahum (Kassy) Kebede” of the 15 members Diaspora Trust Fund Advisory Council referred as “Kassi Kebde” on the 21 members Advisory Council on privatization. How a little-known U.S. private fund manager of nearly a billion dollars of undisclosed individuals out of Cayman Island registered firm as well as investor in Ethiopia ended up on both Advisory Councils remained a mystery that requires investigation.
Luckily, the person who took responsibility for the Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund Advisory Council as a Chairman is the prominent Californian Constitutional Law Professor and Defense Attorney Al Mariam. He is expected to vet the members backgrounds and provide regular information to the public as well as comply with established laws concerning the activities of the Council.
Though Professor Al endorsed PM reform effort and his diaspora visit on publicly unannounced conference organized by unknown volunteers in Washington D.C. led by a person named Besufekad Kasegn few weeks before PM anticipated visit as reported by Solomon Abate of VOA, it is not clear how he ended up as the Chairman of the Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund Advisory Council that was setup before the PM visit in North America.
Regardless, if there is one person capable of making sure members have no conflict of interest, and the Advisory Council is transparent regarding the laws and regulations governing its operation, he come up on the top.
But, the tragedy contemporary dysfunctional elites with professional credential can’t even agree what conflict of interest and transparency means let alone comply; only independent institutions and the Free Press are the only entities that bring about transparency and accountability on behalf of the public we witness is astounding.
Thus, to see many play hide-and-seek from the public on basic rule of engagement on public affairs illustrates; dysfunctionality among contemporaries that led to all kinds of misconduct at the expenses of the people of Ethiopia is the norm not the exception.
As Prime Minster Abiy’s reform goes forward, the most important thing Ethiopians can’t afford to ignore is; the right to know what is being done without their knowledge i.e. lack of transparency from government officials and one-and-all involved in the public affairs.
Academic credential, job title and experience polished for the occupation nor the ‘dog eat my homework’ excuse and empty rant on social Media to divert the issue of transparency and accountability can no longer be a substitute not to disclose public information as Ethiopians experienced in the last 27 years under Woyane rule.
They say, “if a slaughterhouse has glass walls, everybody will be vegetarian”.
In that note, the PM and his official must do their job by disclosing all public information to the people of Ethiopia so that the people know; no conflict of interests arises when they make decisions on behalf of the people of Ethiopia. The Free Press and civic organizations must also do their job to make sure one-and-all, including Media operators masquerading as Free Press and civic organizations masquerading as independent are transparent and accountable to the public.
If they fail to do the basics to bring about transparency and accountability in governance; dysfunctional elites will continue to undermine the PM reform effort and will continue to cause more havoc on the people of Ethiopia as we are witnessing unfold.
The rights of people of Ethiopia to know can’t be outsourced to the same old dysfunctional elites that operate in the shadow TPLF’s oligarchs.
The article is dedicated to our people that continue to die needlessly just because dysfunctional elites of the old guard refuse to surrender for the people will and, their accomplices chose to look the other way to sustain their petty corruption.