MELES ZENAWI BIOGRAPHY, EDUCATION, CAREER, CONTROVERSIES AND DEATH

Meles Asres Zenawi (8 May 1955–20 Aug 2012) was an influential Ethiopian politician and leader who served as the Prime Minister of Ethiopia from 1995 until his death in 2012. Before becoming Prime Minister, he was the President of Ethiopia from 1991 to 1995.

MELES ZENAWI PROFILE

Name	Meles Zenawi
Real Name	Meles Zenawi Asres
Date of Birth	8 May 1955
Date of Death	20 August 2012
Nationality	Ethiopian
Occupation	Soldier and Politician
Religion	N/A
Marital Status	Married
Net Worth	$3 Billion
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MELES ZENAWI BIOGRAPHY

Meles Zenawi was born on May 8, 1955, in Adwa, Tigray Province, Ethiopia. His birth name was Legesse Zenawi.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

He attended Queen of Sheba High School in Adwa and later enrolled at Addis Ababa University to study medicine. However, he left university in 1975 to join the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), a rebel group opposing the Derg regime.

Meles earned a Master’s degree in business administration from the Open University in the UK and another in economics from Erasmus University in the Netherlands.

CAREER

Zenawi became a prominent leader in the TPLF, which later merged with other groups to form the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). After the fall of the Derg regime in 1991, he became the head of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia and later the country’s first elected President in 1995. That same year, he transitioned to the role of Prime Minister, holding the position until his death.

CONTROVERSIES

Meles’s tenure was not without criticism. His administration faced allegations of authoritarianism, human rights abuses, and suppression of political opposition. The 2005 general elections were marred by violence and accusations of vote rigging. Human rights organizations also criticized his government for press censorship and the displacement of rural communities during large-scale agricultural projects.

PERSONAL LIFE

Meles Zenawi was married to Azeb Mesfin, a fellow revolutionary and politician. The couple had three children.

MELES ZENAWI NET WORTH

Meles Zenawi had an estimated net worth of $3 billion.

DEATH

Meles Zenawi passed away on August 20, 2012, in Brussels, Belgium, due to an undisclosed illness. His death marked the end of an era in Ethiopian politics.