Molla Zegeye, Personifying Perseverance in the Face of Adversity Dies at 71

To say Molla Zegeye witnessed history unfold would be an understatement. He actively tussled with it, leaving a lasting mark on Ethiopia's turbulent but recent political history of half a century. His life was marked by momentous decision-making that turned the country’s way in a different direction.

Molla was one of the custodians of the Imperial system. It was the fate of history that he would participate in the revolution that dismantled the crown later. He felt the pangs of injustice while he was serving in the Imperial Guard — a searing indictment of neglect during the Wello famine, which ignited a fire in his gut to play a role in putting the monarchy to an end. Along with others like him, he became the storm that swept away the reigns of Haile Selassie I, after ruling the country for nearly five decades.

As a member of the sub-Derge, Molla's voice rallied the masses towards a new dawn when the military officers of lower ranks grouped themselves under the Dergue (otherwise a committee), beckoning with their promises of equality. He embraced the change wholeheartedly, throwing himself into the revolutionary fervour. After all, it was a cause he almost lost his life for. His gift for oratory might have been bordering theatrics. But, it was a potent tool that galvanised support across the fledgling country.

Molla was not content with speeches, however. He was a man of action.

From the halls of the central bank to the fields of Chiro (Asebe Teferi), Jigjiga and Sidama, he left his marks on reforestation initiatives blooming under his watch, and war-torn communities found solace in his efforts at reconstruction. In the aftermath of the devastating war between Ethiopia and Somalia that destroyed the town and the absence of funds from the central government, Molla took the initiative to mobilise funds from the community and reconstruct the region.

However, a man of such values was bound to provoke the ire of the regime's growing authoritarianism. His voice, once a rallying cry, became an unwelcome dissent. He was relegated to the mundane world of the Ethiopian Postal Service, stripped of his lofty position. However, the perceived punishment was a moment that changed his life's course. It became the catalyst for a change. He enrolled in law school at night, and the courtroom became his new battleground.

That was where he met a fellow lawyer who accompanied him as a graduation committee member — Tsegaye Mekasha. Their acquaintance evolved into a friendship that outlasted decades. Tsegaye spoke of him with reverence, a man who "walked the path of his convictions to the very end." Molla's booming voice now wielded the power of law.

Another fate of history presented to him when he championed the causes of the Derge's most senior leaders, advocating for their amnesty. The surviving leaders serving life sentences were eventually pardoned after two decades of incarceration.