Kajela Merdassa (Oromo Kejelaa Mardasaa) is an Ethiopian politician and senior member of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). He was appointed Minister of Culture and Sports of Ethiopia on 6 October 2021.[1][2]
Kajela Merdassa | |
|---|---|
| Kejelaa Mardasaa | |
| Minister of Culture and Sports | |
| Assumed office 6 October 2021 | |
| President | Sahle-Work Zewde |
| Prime Minister | Abiy Ahmed |
| Preceded by | Hirut Kassaw |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | OLF (since 2020) |
Political career edit
Kajela has been a member of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) since 2020 or earlier. In 2020, as OLF public relations officer, he argued that change in the government of Oromia had not solved problems of human rights violations. He called on the government to follow a constitutional constraint of a five-year length of elected mandates.[3]
In March 2021, in a factional split in the OLF between a faction led by chair Dawud Ibsa Ayana and one led by Ararso Bikila, Kajela sided with Ararso.[4] The split was related to the question of whether or not to completely give up armed opposition. The Kajela–Ararso faction aimed to run candidates in the 2021 Ethiopian general election but did not qualify in time for deadlines set by the National Election Board of Ethiopia.[2]
According to Borkena, Kajela stated that Aba Torbe is an OLF death squad.[4]
Kajela attributed the killings in the March 2021 Ataye clashes in Oromia Zone in Amhara Region to governmental special forces.[4]
In the October 2021 reshuffle of the Abiy Ahmed Cabinet, Kajela was made Minister of Culture and Sports.[1][2]
References edit
- ^ a b "PM Abiy forms new gov't; adds 20 institutions including NISS, INSA, investment & financial security accountable to his office". Addis Standard. 6 October 2021. Wikidata Q117572995. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023.
- ^ a b c "Abiy Ahmed's New Cabinet: Changes and New Inclusions". MENAFN. 7 October 2021. Wikidata Q117629786. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023.
- ^ Ethio FM 107.8 (9 June 2020), የኦሮሚያ ክልል መንግስት ብስለት ከጎደለው መግለጫው እንዲታቀብ ኦነግ አሳሰበ። (in Amharic), Wikidata Q117626613, archived from the original on 12 April 2023
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c "Kejela Merdassa, Top OLF man thinks radical groups get support from govt". Borkena. 23 March 2021. Wikidata Q117628488. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023.