Zegeye Asfaw, Champion Of Land Reform, Passes | The Reporter Ethiopia

Zegeye Asfaw, one of the eleven commissioners of the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission, has passed away.

Zegeye had been serving on the commission since its establishment to facilitate national dialogue and foster consensus among Ethiopians on key political and national issues. He was widely regarded for his sharp perspectives on nation-building, governance, and national consensus.

A prominent figure in Ethiopia’s political history, Zegeye also played a significant role during the transition period following the fall of the imperial regime. As Minister of Agriculture at the time, he was involved in the implementation of the landmark “Land to the Tiller” land reform proclamation under the Derg government.

Trained as a lawyer at Addis Ababa University and the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Zegeye dedicated decades to public service. Over the course of his career, he held ministerial positions in several government institutions, including the Ministry of Land Reform and Administration, the Ministry of Agriculture and Settlement, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.