Former Telecom chief leaves Ethiopia with deputy

By Ewnetu Tessema
July 6, 2006

Time proved they were dead wrong. On the very day Tesfaye Biru was removed, the government announced on the state-owned TV and Radio that Tesfaye was promoted to a “higher and key” government position.”

Many listened to that news with shock and disbelief. Some said, “It is weird”. It was truly weird. You can not remove your appointee by telling the whole world that you still need him for a “higher and key” position. The common practice is just to appoint him forthwith so that everybody understands why he was in the first place removed from his former position.

Doubt crept into the hearts and minds of the naďve employees and the leaders in the Labor Union. Many of them actually were disappointed and preferred to keep quiet. The so called “higher and key” position preposterously “promised” to Tesfaye Biru didn’t materialize. What has rather materialized is the much feared discreet departure of Tesfaye Biru with all the money he looted.

Now, it is the talk of Addis that Tesfaye Biru and his deputy left Ethiopia for good. The millions of DOLLARS looted from this poor nation is no more retrievable. The whole purpose of firing Tesfaye Biru from office was to allow him leave Ethiopia inconspicuously. I had clearly stated this fact in my last article which I wrote soon after his removal from ETC. Tesfaye Biru and his ex-deputy, Abebe Belayneh, discreetly left Ethiopia just last week. Poor Ethiopia has no option but to raise her hands to God.