Body of Late President Arrives in Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa  May 04/2019 Body of the late Dr. Nagasso Gidada, who served as Ethiopia's president for seven years, has arrived in Addis Ababa from Germany.

Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed and higher government officials and relatives of the deceased were present at Bole International Airport upon the arrival of the body.  

Speaking on the occasion, Shemelis Abdissa, Vice Administrator of Oromia Regional State said “Dr. Negassao was a great person who prioritized the interest of the peoples of Ethiopia and the nation above everything else.”  

Former speaker of the HPR Abdula Gemeda also said “we lost a strong and far sighted person.”  

A farewell program will be conducted tomorrow for Dr. Negassao at Millennium Hall.

The funeral will take place tomorrow in the afternoon at the Peter-Paul Cemetery in the presence of President Sahelework Zewede and other higher government officials.  

Dr Negaso has served his country in drafting and adoption of the constitution as member of the Constitutional Drafting Committee and Chairman of the Constitutional Assembly, which adopted the current constitution.

He became the first Head of State of Federal Ethiopia and had signed on the Proclamation that adopted the final copy of the constitution. He served as president of Ethiopia from 1995- 2002.