By Pawlos Belete and Amanyehun Redda | ADDIS FORTUNE
Duguma Hunde, a prominent Ethiopian businessman who founded DH Geda Industrial Business Group, passed away of sudden natural causes, around midnight last Friday, January 09, 2008. Duguma was immediately taken to Tezena, a hospital near his house around Old Airport area, after he collapsed of stroke; he did not survive the incident, according to family members.
Duguma was born in a small village Kesht, Sedin Sodo Wereda, in Shewa, Oromia Regional State, in 1948. He came to Addis Abeba in 1964, and began his business career selling secondhand clothes while attending night school at Lideta Catholic Cathedral School. Over the years he grew into prominence in the Ethiopian business community.
DH GEDA is one of the fastest growing business enterprises in Ethiopia, involved in manufacturing, trading, real estate and import-export. Duguma established about nine companies active in various sectors. These include manufacturing plants for the production of paints, adhesives and printing inks, dry cell batteries, personal and household care products, blankets, wheat flour, corrugated iron sheets and profiles, acrylic dyeing and cotton bleaching. His companies have, in aggregate, created more than 750 permanent jobs.
Duguma was known among his friends as a sociable person. Getu Gelete, major shareholder and general manager of Get-As International, who knew him since childhood, described Duguma as “a hard working man who was resourceful to other businesspeople.”
Duguma was also a shareholder in about seven private banks and insurance companies, including the latest entrant to the industry, Oromia International Bank (OIB).
“He was a very humble person who could easily establish good relations with people around him” Worku Lema, chief executive officer of the OIB, told Fortune.
Married to Meselech Obisie in 1966, Duguma survived by his 10 children and 11 grandchildren. Funeral service is to be held at the Trinity Cathedral Chruch on January 11, 2009, at 12:00 noon.
8 thoughts on “Funeral service held for Duguma Hunde”
I am deeply sad the death of duguma hunde. I don’t know him in person, but I heard is name alot. People said he is the most kindest, friendly etc person in ethiopia. My hearts goes to all his family especially to his wife and children. Let GOD comfort you Amen.
I KNOW DUGUMA SINCE 1982, I MIGHT BE SHORT OF WORDS TO SAY SOME NICEST THINGS ABOUT HIM. IF ANY BODY IS POOR OR RICH HE TREATS EQUALLY,AS A FATHER HE DID EVERY THING TO EDUCATE HIS KIDS AS A PERSON HE SHARE HIS MONEY WITH POORS ———SO ON. DUGUMA WILL NEVER EVER FORGOTTEN.IF WE HAVE SOME MORE PEOPLE LIKE HIM THE WORLD COULD BE A MUCH BETTER PLACE FOR HUMAN BEINGS. LET GOD BLESS HIS FAMILY, I HAVE NO DAUGHT HE ALREDY BLESSED.
It is tragic indeed to lose such a business giant who created hundreds of jobs to his fellow Ethiopians. He was a great man. He was a funny man too! At some point I recall him saying ‘Diha menor aychilim endie ezih ager!’ in response to him losing all important auctions to Alamoudi. We said if Duguma thinks he is ‘Diha’, then all of us should consider ourselves as dead!
There should be investigation as to why these “non corrupt” hard worker individuals are dying that Ethiopia needs the most, because they provide jobs, sell products for cheap so that the poor can afford it, support other people in businesses, etc. Apparently, Weyane is ready to inherit their property and money leaving out the victim’s children out in cold, you will see. Of course how Weyane will do this will be through other people.
My heart goes out to the families of these individuals.
Is his death really natural? I am afraid that woyane is somewhat involved in a systematic way to get rid of all non-woyane business and businesspeople.
please don’t fool yourself this kind of job is well known pre-planned by TPLF assasinos for so-many reasons Duguma had been poisend without his knowldge somewhre,I would like to urge his families to request post-mortum test if the law of the country allowed under TPLF,
i wished a picture of this great Ethiopian was posted here.
The passing of Duguma Hunde is the work of the third hand that kills the true sons and douhters of Ethiopia by poisning,accidents and majirat mechiwoch. a metod or a system of acting known as SIWIR ERMIJA. This is a known fact that it is one of the meny methods that Erme Belaw Hyena(JIB) has been using to eliminate even thier own Weyane Jiboch when they were still in Dedebit (yajiboch Washa).