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One of Ethiopia’s richest businessmen Duguma Hundie died

Posted on , Updated on by Elias Kifle

Duguma Hundie, the owner of DH Gheda Industries and one of the richest businessmen in Ethiopia, has died today.

Ato Duguma is the third prominent businessman to die within the past 30 days in Ethiopia, Awramba Times reported.

Two weeks ago Yohannes Getaneh and Asfaw Yirga, owners of Ase Marbel and Getaneh Trading reportedly committed suicide.

Some family members of Ato Duguma said that chocking is the cause of his death, but business associates suspect that it is related to politics and bank loan.

The Meles regime is currently persecuting and confiscating the properties of several high profile businessman who are not members of the ruling party. In December last month, it has frozen the bank accounts of 23 business owners.

Duguma Hundie is said to be the 3rd richest businessman in Ethiopia next to Al Amoudi and Samuel Tafesse.

Meles Zenawi’s family and top members of the Tigrean People Liberation Front (Woyanne) are in fact the richest people in Ethiopia, but it is difficult to estimate their wealth.

30 thoughts on “One of Ethiopia’s richest businessmen Duguma Hundie died”

  1. The Tplf mafia group seems preparing and getting ready for any eventuality as thier final demise is fast approaching. The mafia group is confisicating and converting looted Ethiopian Birr in to any foriegn currency and stashing away to foriegn Banks. Here is what Africa Intelligence says —

    The Indian Ocean Newsletter
    N° 1253 10/01/2009

    Now that the EPRDF has been in power for almost two decades, its leaders have had time to accumulate wealth. We make a roundup – by no means exhaustive – of their activity.

    Azeb Mesfin, the wife of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, takes no mean interest in the world of business and sometimes has been highly interventionist in defending the commercial interests of those close to her. She recently put the spoke in the wheels of the firm Nyala Motors over the importing of UD Nissan lorries; conversely she has lobbied in favour of Sunshine Construction whose executives Samuel Tadesse and Fetlework Elala are close to her. Moreover, Azeb Mesfin is believed to have a stake in Alfa University College and in property in Addis Ababa.

    The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Seyoum Mesfin, is for his part at the head of a unit producing ceramics for the construction industry. It is winning all of the contracts, to such an extent that it has pushed some of its rivals to close down. Asefaw Yirga, the manager of Ase Marble, is believed to be one of them. He committed suicide on 20 December. Seyoum Mesfin also owns several tens of lorries registered in his name. Addisu Legese, the Deputy Prime Minister currently on the way out, owns a hotel at Bahr Dar, which is the stopping place for all the officials visiting this town. The State Minister for Public Works, Arkebe Oqubay Mitiku, owns two buildings in the capital, while one advisor to the Prime Minister, Bereket Simon, owns a rental building and a fleet of lorries transporting oil products from Djibouti. The Police Commissioner Workineh Gebreyehu is at the head of an import-export company which has no difficulty in getting foreign currency when it needs it. A band of generals is very active in the property market, buying and selling villas and plots of land, beginning with the army chief of staff, General Samora Younis, who owns a building in the smart neighbourhood of Bole.

    The Ethiopian government recently attributed plots of land in Addis Ababa together with money for building, to some generals, mainly Tigrayans. Samora Younis, Yohannes Gebre Meskel and a few others are among the lucky beneficiaries of this scheme.

  3. What about Girma Biru? The economy minester?I think he ownes not less fortune as the Meles clan. I mean he has to concidered among rich of rich in my poor Country.

  4. Agazzzi baby killer killing everyone or arresting ethiopians. If we give agazzi baby killer more time in ethiopia. no one will be left. save ethiopia. stand together.

  5. Boys stop talking about those TPLF (laybas) be a man & take action ,be like your GRAND FATHER & FATHER or be like as i mean like your Mother & Grandmother. I am tired of reading or listing about those bitches, i know there is only one thing left for Ethiopians woman to make THERE MAN HERO again don’t give them any *** until they get read of TPLF killers. Sorry to write this word don’t see it wrong way this is the only option left ,i know for sure it will work & you boys will think or see better this is the only way no more (*** FOR ALL ETHIOPIAN MAN 2009)all age. Ethiopian woman get strong don’t give any thing please this is our last chance.
    ONE LOVE
    ONE ETHIOPIA
    ONE NATION
    DOWN TPLF 2009.

  7. This is SAD indeed, My GOD what is happening to our people. In my personal view Duguma Hundie is a Hard working Business man and it is quiet a lose to Ethiopia and Ethiopians. May he rest in peace and condolonces to his Family & Friends.

  8. May God rest his soul in heaven, I have known Mr Duguma Hunde for sometime and as a matter of fact, i have known the business man who allegedly committed suicide. I don’t know, it really is bizarre because being rich in Ethiopia never gives you a stress rather gives you the desire to live more., Mr Duguma was not really fond of the woyanne regime and I have personally heard him criticizing the ruling party and was a foe to Al Amoudi, the other two business men were not also associated with woyannes and belong to the gojam and gurage tribes respectively. I wonder why no Tigre business person didn’t commit suicide or I guess maybe woyanne associated people die naturally. Anyways, this is a great loss since we all give the credit to Mr Yohannes Getaneh for making it possible for many Ethiopians to afford a descent closing while Mr Duguma also is a person who has made it to become a self made millionaire opening new kinds of factories and saving forex, employing many Ethiopians in his businesses and was a great member of the society.
    To your information, Mr Yohannes was a very religious person who never ceased to go to Church every Sundays and all fasting seasons while Mr Duguma was also becoming a very religious person, transforming his playboy personality into a very descent and gentle businessman who was successfully making it to become maybe the first Ethiopian on the Forbes list, he was that close if these stupid woyannes were not around.
    May God rest the soul of these people in heaven and mat God bless Ethiopia Thank you

  9. TPLF killing each one of them and make all kind of excuses, oh they commit suicide or he got his blood pressure high.. bla bla bla, how long we continue like this? How long?

  10. 1) It’s apparent that Woyane and it’s leaders (as supported 100% by Tigrean People), they plan to amass wealth as much as possible and will continue to do so at all costs, it’s also apprent that DMZ (Dictator Meles Zenawi, plans to be in power for as long as possible…this is great for him also as it will give him time to rape everything from Ethiopia and eventually or politically break up the country along it’s industries. This is truly happening as most Ethiopians in the dispora don’t even bother to get organized, they have given up…well, except maybe Elias.

    2) This should be a wake up call to all that Tigrayans will never ever give up power through a democratic manner as the opposition wishes and believes. Birtukan, I feel sorry for our sister, she is suffering for nothing, they’ll just bring her on the edge of death or kill her i’m sorry to say just like they’ve done with all Woyane enemies. I hope she’ll get released soon though! I am starting to believe with Elias that perhaps just perhaps, we should be creative and seek the help of anyone (including Eritrea) to get rid of Woyane. Although we won’t know Eritrea’s true intentions for helping. It just seems either EPLF or TPLF’s path….the legal democratic struggle or the armed struggle….Ethiopia will risk being like somalia! I am sure they planned this while they were in the bushes years ago…the two anti-ethiopian northern cousins that is.

    Just….food….for thought.

  12. TPLF will feed you poison and come to your funeral to check you are indeed dead. Ethiopia has never seen such an evil regime in its long history. I have no doubt the freezing of accounts and the death of people is directly linked to TPLF.

  14. First of all the people who gave comment earlier should mind their own business.Duguma was a very polite person.he is a hard worker.He is in a better place now so lets please leave this person alone.Its all rumors we all know what we know so please lets just keep it appropriate.It hurts for the family to read this kind of thing.he wasnt a playboy.okay just get it straight.

  16. I do know Mr. Duguma and his family very well. Mr. Duguma is a very well mannered and socially respected and humble person. He is one of the few rich Ethiopians that is not spoiled by money. Knowing him very well, he would enjoy life even if the banks take all his property. He is the kind of man who can start from scratch again. Please guys and gals, refrain from comments that relate his death to politics and bank loan. This is one hell of a smart guy who never rested for a day. He is always on the run. A very hard working man. I read in one of the comments above about how he hates Alamoudi. First of all Mr. Duguma has no time to hate, he is an extremely busy man. He runs many businesses and a family. He is a very sociable man. He has contributed so much to society by supporting the poor, churches, mosques, development in his gurage village etc… Please let him rest in peace. Please leave him and his family alone and move on to some other issues or just express condolences if you want to, then he will smile from above. He died infront of his family from a heart attack at night. He has a beautiful family and he has an amazing love for his family.

  17. Ato Duguma Hundie, was also supplying fibres (Dere) for textile industries. Ato Yohannes Getaneh was in Garmet/textile business who used to buy fabrics from DH Geda (Duguma Hundie’s firm. According to the rumour Ato Yohannes had a credit facility worth 30 million birr to DH Geda. That credit was paid in check to DH Geda but to be cashed in when the money is available in Ato Yohannes’s firm. After much waiting DH Geda made a decision to deposit the check in its bank which is rightly entitled to do so. However, this decision made Ato Yohannes commit suicide, well as the rumour in the capital goes.

    Now the death of Duguma Hundie is a surprise to say the list or sad consequence. The stress as a consequence of Ato Yohannes’s death could be a catalyst.

    The death of Asfaw Yirga is a copy cat action and nothing to do business. Asfaw Yirga used to run a family business, which many believe in distress due to big debt due to millionor lifestyle of Asfaw. So as creditors circle around the family intervened to take the business back to sell the marble and other companies run by Asfaw Yirga to settle the debts and other outstanding credits. The rumour says, at the time of his suicide Asfaw was running no business except he was paid enough salary per month by the family business to enjoy his life and stay out of running business or making deals.

    Here you have it, these are the hot rumours being circulated on Bole road café’s. Well at the end of the day, these are rumours and are not facts and need to be taken with pinch of salt.

    May God rest their sould in peace.

  18. I have read some negative responses regarding the comment I wrote above, i never meant to say Duguma was a playboy till he died, I never said that because that’s not true but its a fact that he was for some time but then he was becoming a good member of the Church and extremely descent businessman, wealth has never spoiled him, he was very humble and very respected member of the society, he loved God, he loved his family and he loved his country, he was a great man as well as Mr Yohannes who was also a good family man who used to take his children to Church on every Sundays and everyday on every fasting seasons, these two people have always been great and pillars of the society, I didn’t have the chance to meet or Mr Asfaw but his father is one of the most prominent and respected people in the business community who owns factories including Kangaroo foam, so I guess the people we lost are not smuts like woyanne grown gorilla millionaires but hard working men who never ceased to be great men. Mr Yohannes was a protege of Mr Ketema Kebede (KK Trading) who have helped him immensely to become successful, Mr Ketema being an exteremely welathy businessman(maybe even richer than both of them) with no ties with woyannes should take a good care of himself after seeing his friends mysteriously dying. I have made some investments back home and had a chance to know these people, that’s why I am confident of the remarks I am making, regarding about Duguma’s hatred of Al Amoudi, it wasn’t personal but Mr Duguma has always hated people who associated themselves with the government, I personaly has nothing against Al Amoudi since he employs a vast number of Ethiopians and helping the Ethiopian economy stay afloat but I have also detested him of standing for the murderous government while having the chance to stand for the people instead, he has nothing to fear since all his wealth is from foreign investments and also being a foreign citizen and well connected to the elite of the international business society, the woyaness can not even touch a single fragment of his well being if he ever tried to be with the side of the people after all the things he has done out of a good heart, woyanne can not live forever but people always live so as his descendants.
    This is the reason why Mr Elias has always hated Al Amoudi and business people who are associated with the criminal government of Ethiopia, as an everyday reader of Ethiopian Review, I have never read any negative remarks against the business people who have suffered tragic death in this month, instead he put the news of the tragic death of Mr Duguma signifying his prominence in the business community.
    Anyways May God Bless Ethiopia and give as peace and unity.
    Elias, Thank you for keeping us updated and may God bless you and your family, you have become a pioneer Ethiopian journalist who practices his right to express his views in total freedom and out of love of his country. I may not agree of your political strategies but I have never doubted your dedication to remove the criminal government, disclose conspiracies and mischief within political parties, exposing traiters and being a supreme headache of woyannes and their allies, its a great pleasure to see woyannes feeling nausea and act crazy whenever you hit their weak vital spots.
    May God protect you and give you more strength to stand for your people and may He put a good understanding between you and Ethiopians who love their country regardless of their safety, notably, people like Dr. Birhanu Nega
    Thank You

  19. I have a feeling their death has something to do with Weyane collecting these hard working people’s money. These people have always handled their debt, and Weyane since it has power influences the banks and there should be more investigation how these people are dying, who are driving the Ethiopian economy without exploiting Ethiopa. Weyane is not targeting Ethiopian business people to collect the wealth.

    Peace and love to the family of the people and to the dead let their soul rest in peace.

  21. MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY MEMBERS.(ALL THREE FAMILIES)

    HOW LOW CAN WE GO…..! Growing up, we were taught to say NEBSE YEMAR, when people crossed over in to the beyond. Now, our hatred for EPRDF has blinded us to such a degree that we no longer respect the dead and allow their loved ones to grieve in peace. I am sure these three gentlemen are literally TURNING IN THEIR GRAVES as we use their death to once again foment hate and score personal and political points. Reminds me of the scene in the bible. Our dear Lord on the cross between two thieves, paying the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of man kind as the roman soldiers were drawing lots to divide His clothes among themselves. It is said that “People get the leaders they deserve”. I have always questioned that saying, but after reading a number of the posts, I am closer to believing that saying than ever before.

    Psalm68:31″ Ethiopia Egoochuan Wed EgzeabeherTezeregalech”!

  22. weyene pland and did. if we allow them to do, they will never stop. still we are sleeping owing to the fact that a few of us like Tedy, Bertuken etc. fighting against.

    Ethiopians, wake up! stand up!

  24. what’s wrong you people? most of you guys are full of hatered. it doesn’t seem like you cared about the people who lost their lifes. how about RESPECT? were you there when they committed sucide or when they got killed? why would you jump into conclusions? why is it alway about the TPLF? most of you are racists. grow up. this is why our country will never develop. please people stop the hatered and work hard.
    can’t you learn something from american politics? the democrats and repoblicans have diffrent points of view but when it comes to their country they are one. so please stop the racism and be one for our country.
    peace

  25. response to “sick of you people”
    the one who should grow up is you, republicans and democrats never had a crime issue, they fight to better serve their nation, whatever fight they engage in, they never go around and kill each other or put supporters in jail and they leave office immediately without any opposition when they lose election, yes whatever strange thing happens in Ethiopia, we suspect the tplf or woyanne and we are usually proved right.
    God Bless ethiopia

  26. woyane has nothing to do with this. u guys should know better. deguma died cuz he had some health issues…come on lets not pretend as if we dont know anything k. the others might have just felt guity of what they did to their country to get what they have p.s leave TPLF alone.STOP TA HATE N DO SOMTHING FOR YOUR PPL…..easy on the tere sega and hard on the work kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

  27. I felt deeply sad when we lose all those wonderful people. First of all my heart goes to all their families, childrens and friends. It is amazing to lose all those people in one month how? coincidence? Unbelievable. Let us give it to GOD what else can we do except pray. Please lets pray that is the only thing at this time we can do.

  29. “the Christian does not consider death to be the end of his life, but hte end of his troubles” R.I.P Diguma I deeply sad I still can not belive it. the most respectfull business man I know. God bless !!!!!!!!!!!

  30. Hi guys,

    God Bless Duguma Hunde. He was a great man I ever know. He was selfmade businessman. People talk about Tigre or EPRDF. Duguma and Other businesspeople who are considered as right hand of Meles are not politician. They were forced to be a part of the party otherwise, they could not do their business and raise their family.

    Also, do not unintentionally criticize EPRDF because it helped us come out of red terror. I heard that people try to accuse EPRDF for poverty, it is illogical. The country is moving from extreme socialism to mixed economy.

    Instead of accusing innocent people, please help hungry people or orphans. Do through your mouth without reason. It is shame that white people help out people, but we just criticize others.

    I am not EPRDF nor affiliated with other parties. I am true Ethiopian. I saw that CUD was not ready for the power since there were internal fight for power. At this moment, no one is ready to rule the country except EPRDF.

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