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Dejazmatch Haregot Abbay

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Remembering Eritrean heroes in contemporary history

A Short Biography

Dejazmatch Haregot Abbay

Compiled and edited

Estifanos Ghebremichael

Kragerø, Norway 2012

Table of content

Personal data

Early life

Early political contributions

As mayor of Asmara

Late life and end of life

Personal data

Dejazmach Haregot Abbai
Mayor of Asmara (1963- 1974)
Personal Details
Spouse	Woizero Lemlem Gebrekidan
Father	Bahri Negassi Abbai Habtezion
Mother	Woizero Leah Mesmer
Born	May 9, 1909 Arbaete Asmara, Eritrea
Died	Around july, 1979 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Burial	Holy St. Mary Cemetery (Asmara)
Religion	Orthodox Tewahedo

Haregot Abbai 1909-1979 (later Fitawrari Dejazmach) was an Eritrean businessman, investor and politician. In the 1960s, he became a Mayor of Asmara, the Eritrean Capital City (then the second largest city in Ethiopia.

Early life

Haregot Abbai was born in Arbaete Asmara , Eritrea on May 9, 1909 to parents Bahri Negassi Abbai Habtezion and Woizero Lia Mesmer. After completing his fundamental education at St. Giorgio School in Mendefera, Eritrea, he initially worked on his family farm and eventually joined the Italian civil administration working in the Genio Civile, Comando Truppe and Deposito offices. As a young man and starting a new family, in the early 1920s he developed his aptitude for business by working part time with local Indian merchants (commonly referred as Banyans in Eritrea). His entrepreneur flair came in handy when in the 1930 he began to participate in the cotton yarn trading and freight transport businesses and owning a small fleet of low bed and small sized trucks. In the 1940s he grew his business by expanding into grain grinding mills and in the 1950s he further expanded his business through a Joint Venture by acquiring the Salvati Africa (owned by Italians) city bus business. The company was later renamed and continues to operate to this day as the Asmara Bus Company. In the 1960-70’s he further solidified his business interest by participating in the real estate, entertainment (cinemas), cement, soft drinks (Coca Cola), banking, insurance and textile sectors.

Early Political Contributions

Beyond business activities, Haregot Abbai also actively participated in the social and political movements of his days. In the 1940s he became a member of political party known as “Mahber Fikre Hager” (MFH, Society for Love of Country), serving as its Vice President in 1947.^[ In 1952, following the Federation of Eritrea with Ethiopia, he was elected as a member of the newly created Eritrean Assembly. During the early days of the Federation (1952–55) he served in the positions of Director of Interior, Secretary of Justice and Secretary of Economy. In 1955 as the Ethiopian government started to interfere and amend the Federation Act and with the subsequent election of a new Executive President of the Eritrean Government, he left the Eritrean Assembly to focus on his business.

As Mayor of Asmara

In 1963, a year after the Federation ended and Eritrea was annexed by Ethiopia, he was appointed as the Mayor of Asmara. His time as the Mayor of Asmara (1963–74) was amongst his most publicly popular and most memorable accomplishments as a civil servant. During his tenure as Mayor, Asmara underwent some major revitalization and renaissance and some of his key accomplishments were:

1. Low cost residential improvement plans around districts of Asmara covering Abbashaul, Geza Berhanu, Senita and Mai Temenai.

2. Expansion Mai Serwa of existing and building of a new Mai Nefhi water reservoir dams to improve the city water supply system which was critical to city during the long draught periods.

3. Covering of the notorious Mai Bela open sewer system traversing through key location in the city.

4. Improving sport and entertainment activities by constructing a new stadium with appropriate lighting for night activities.

5. Improving economic and social activity expositions by building the Asmara Expo Center.

6. Helping the homeless by building a city homeless center to shelter abandoned children and adults.

7. Upgrading city roads and building of ring road for the use of commercial traffic to avoid congestion in the city roads.

During his tenure, Asmara also hosted many heads of states, including Queen Elizabeth II of England, Queen Juliana of the

Netherlands, King Olav of Norway, The Shah of Iran, The President of Germany, The President of Bulgaria and Premier Chou En Lai of China.

As Mayor of Asmara, he received various recognitions which included:

1. Travelled to the USA as guest of the US government. Visited several US cities and states to tour industrial and agricultural locations. Received Keys to the cities of San Francisco, New York and etc.

2. Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II receiving the Knight Commander of Victoria Order (KCVO).

3. Order of Norway decoration by King Olav of Norway

4. State medal of recognition by President Heinrich Lubke of Germany

Private Life

Haregot was also a consummate family man, educator and philanthropist. In the late 1920s he was married to Woizero Lemlem Gebrekidan and had ten children. In addition to support his community he used his personal funds to build the Arbate Asmara School and the St Korkos church.

Late life and end of life

In 1974 with the onset of military dictatorship Derg in Ethiopia he was imprisoned in Addis Abeba along with most of former Emperor Haile Selassie cabinets, most regional governors, many senior military officers and other dignitaries where in 1979, he was killed by the military/socialist dictatorship in Ethiopia. In 1992, after the fall of the Ethiopian Derg, his remains were taken back to Asmara and he now rests at the St. Mary Cemetery near where he was born.