Abadula Gemeda, Speaker of the Parliament

Powerful

What Happened:

Abadula Gemeda, speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representatives, was on the spotlight in the past year for the very legislature he chairs has become all the more powerful in checking the powers of the executive government. A veteran politician from the Oromo People’s Democratic Organisation (OPDO), one of the four member parties of the ruling EPRDF, Abadula became the speaker of the legislature in 2010. With the coming of Abadula, from his previous position as president of the Oromia Region, the legislature seems to have become stronger. Evaluations of executive organs have become a task comprehensively undertaken by the parliament. There also had been a change in tone, with Members of the Parliament (MPs) becoming more forceful in raising critical questions. Adadula’s role in the change is conceived to be very significant. His charm and forbearance, even when procedural mishaps occur, is considered to have made parliamentary meetings livelier.

When It Happened:

Even if the existing parliament came to power in 2010, the liveliness of its meetings become more glaringly visible over the last year.

What to Know:

Adadula Gemeda is born in Arsi Zone, Oromia Region, on July 5, 1958. It only has become two months since he turned 56. Married and a father of five, Abadula has a rare mix of military and civilian education. His military education was obtained from the Defense University of China, a close ally ofEthiopiaunder the EPRDF, in Military Leadership in 1995. But Abadula seems to not stop there. His civilian education has taken him both ways across theAtlantic. His education in US was focused on public administration. His Bachelor and Master’s of Arts degrees from theUSwere both obtained fromCenturyUniversityin 2001 and 2004, respectively. Further boosting his civilian education, Abadula has also obtained his Master’s Degree fromGreenwich University,UK, in 2009.

Milestone:

Abadula’s profile is full of changes in posts. Hence, his milestones are indeed many.  With the change in government in 1991, Abadula became the chief of operations of the National Defence Force.  After five years of service, in 1996, he becomes the chief of intelligence. His movement took him to the next post in 1998 as he was made the commander of the ground force of the National Defence Force. Reaching at the height of it, he became the minister of National Defense in 2000. Moving to a civilian profile, Abadula become the president of the Oromia Region in 2005. It is his latest post as speaking of the federal parliament that put in on the spotlight of the year, however.

Hotspot:

Abadula is considered one of the few influential politicians within the OPDO. His transfer to the federal government from Oromia Region, wherein he had built a strong support base and realised relatively better stability, had created disappointment. He is also said to be an outgoing politician.

In Hindsight:

Abadula is the fourth term speaker of the Parliament. His military profile has reached to the post of Major General.