However, many still wonder as to whether the government will press corruption charges against him. Many ETC employees believe Tesfaye Biru could be allowed to discreetly leave Ethiopia despite widespread allegations of looting public fund now stashed in German banks. His wife and three children are at the moment in Germany. It is to be recalled that the UN Convention on Corruption has characterized corruption in poor countries like Ethiopia as a crime against humanity.
The Government of Ethiopia dismissed Tesfaye Biru from ETC effective may 29, 2006. Tesfaye Biru’s fate is unknown. It was truly speaking regarded by many as the 8th wonders of the world when the Ethiopian Government appointed a Math graduate with a six-month training in library science (Information Science) as a CEO for the Ethiopian Telecom Corporation, better known as ETC.
What was more surprising and shocking was the fact that he stayed as a CEO for solid three years.
Many concerned private citizens, customers of ETC, journalists, telecom experts and the entire employees of ETC untiringly objected his appointment soon after his ignorance on the sector was glaringly manifested in all his major decisions and incredibly poor knowledge management. Notably, the two weekly newspapers Reporter and Nation, exposed all the corrupt practices both in local and foreign purchases.
The anti-corruption activists nevertheless intensified their struggle. It was even reasonably speculated that high profile politicians, including the PM, were involved in the ETC’s corruption. Tesfaye Biru spent on purchase alone 2.1 Billion United States Dollars within three years time. Many of the gadgets purchased are outdated and/or inferior quality telecom equipment which are now dumped at the ETC’s “famous” ware house. Tesfaye Biru when exposed from all direction claimed Oromo identity and became the member of the TPLF satellite political group (teletafi) known as OPDO. He did this to protect himself from the hard knocks of the anti corruption activists. This political affiliation coupled with his strong connection with the PM assisted him to stay as a CEO for 3 years. Otherwise, he wouldn’t even have stayed for three weeks, leave alone three years. Many academics at the Addis Ababa University agree on this point. Finally, it seems the Government gave in as Tesfaye Biru’s crime started becoming progressively indefensible even for his cronies in the TPLF power structure.
What is next? The Government has now appointed a junior management graduate with a 10 years experience in the ETC as a regional manager and on other less important positions. Where is ETC heading to? This is the crucial question still not answered. Many, however, believe the present CEO is by far better than the previous totally ignorant, corrupt mediocre and a soul less prick. The CEO office in the Ethiopian Telecom is unequivocally an expert position. Many suggest the position should be given to an expert in the area being recruited by a consultant among many promising candidates for the position and after both written exams and interview. This is the most common practice all over the world.
THE UN CONVENTION AGAINST CORRUPTION EXPLICITLY STATED CORRUPTION IN POOR COUNTRIES IS A CRIME AGAINS HUMANITY. IT IS THEREFORE RECOMMENDABLE THAT CORRUPT POLITICIANS AND OFFICIALS IN POOR COUNTRIES SHOULD BE TRIED IN AN INTERNATIONAL CRIME TRIBUNAL
