Some delegates of the ninth convention of the ruling EPRDF party have shown their dissatisfaction over a eulogy written for their late leader, Meles Zenawi, while some were critical of the quality of its writing and completeness of the content.

Translated from Tigrigna, the eulogy was first presented to the congress of the TPLF, held in Meqelle two weeks ago. Then it was presented to over 1,000 delegates at the conclusion of the ruling coalition’s convention in Bahir Dar.

Meles’s widow argued that the role and the contributions the late PM made as an Editor-in-Chief of the party’s ideological organ, Addis Ra’ey. Azeb feels that the contributions Meles had made in originating the idea of forming a training facility for the rank and file, now directed by Addisu Legesse, and the manual he develop ought to be forcefully underlined.

Azeb defended her late husband’s legacy in relations to how he had handled the conflict and the subsequent war with Eritrea. Despite condemnations from his political opponents due to his heritage, Azeb told delegates that Meles had never negotiated on the national interests of Ethiopia.

“Not even for a second,” Azeb told delegates rather emphatically.

Azeb described Meles’s conduct during the war with Eritrea in the late 1990s as “extraordinary” in not showing what he had felt of the accusations, but focused on defending his beliefs and political positions regardless.

She recalled her late husband as perhaps the only leader who had earned a little over 4,000 Br a month in net salary, but fought poverty with courage and resolve, while remaining selfless.

“Meles didn’t have a bank account,” Azeb said. “He had neither an ID card nor a driving license.”

Also, Addisu Legesse argued that the eulogy is filled with repetition, is not well organized, and suffers from losses in translation, while its structure is weak. Addisu urged delegates to let the EPRDF’s Executive Committee rewrite the eulogy before it gets adopted as the party’s official document, a proposition Hailemariam had secured its adoption by the Congress unanimously.

From Addis Fortune