Gumii Paarlaamaa Oromoo

Oromia National State Chairman and Deputy Chairman Elected. 07/09/2010

The 6th regular conference of the Oromo People’s Democratic Organization (OPDO) was concluded on Monday by electing Chairman, Deputy Chairman as well as Central Committee members of the Organization.

The conference elected Alemayehu Atomsa and Muktar Kedir as Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Organization, respectively. Alemayehu Atomsa was substituted in place of Abadula Gemeda, while Muktar Kedir in place of Girma Biru. The conference also named 65 Central Committee members. The number of Central Committee members is increased to 65 from the previous 51. The conference elected 15 Executive Committee members of the Organization of whom nine were elected to represent the OPDO at the EPRDF’s Executive Committee.

Below are names of the newly elected Executive Committee members of the OPDO:

1. Girma Birru

2. Sofian Ahmed

3. Kuma Demeksa

4. Alemayehu Atomsa

5. Abadula Gemeda

6. Muktar Kedir

7. Zelalem Jemaneh

8. Abdulaziz Mohammed

9. Diriba Kuma

10. Aster Mamo

11. Junedin Sado

12. Almayehu Ejigu

13. Lemma Megerssa

14. Umer Hussen and

15. Degife Bula

Of the above mentioned 15 Executive Committee members, the following were elected to represent the OPDO at the EPRDF’s Executive Committee:

1. Girma Birru

2. Sofian Ahmed

3. Kuma Demeksa

4. Alemayehu Atomsa

5. Abadula Gemeda

6. Muktar Kedir

7. Zelalem Jemaneh

8. Abdulaziz Mohammed and

9. Diriba Kuma

The conference also approved the Organization’s Central and Audit Committee reports. The newly elected Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the OPDO on the occasion pledged to better serve OPDO/EPRDF. Junedin Sado, Minister of Science and Technology, along with the government whip of the former parliament, Shiferaw Jarso, are the most notable losers of this conference. Both lost their seats in the excutive Committee, which automatically denies them any significant political influence on the most powerful organ of the party, the Executive Committee. Junedin and Shiferaw are among the “newcomers” that joined the OPDO/EPRDF following the struggle that ousted the military regime in 1991