Thousands of mourners gathered in Addis Ababa to pay their final respects to former president Negasso Gidada, who laid his body to rest today at St. Peter-Paul catholic cemetery today.
The state funeral in the capital was attended by hundreds of dignitaries including President Sahle-work Zewde, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and other senior government officials.
In a public memorial held at the Millennium Hall, President Sahle-Work Zewde said “Negaso was honest, human and has contributed a lot for the best of his country.”
He struggled for people’s freedom, equality and democracy expecting a better and unified Ethiopia, she added.
Negaso has served his country in drafting and adoption of the constitution as member of the Constitutional Drafting Committee and Chairman of the Constitutional Assembly, which adopted the current constitution.
He became the first Head of State of Federal Ethiopia and had signed on the Proclamation that adopted the final copy of the constitution. He served as president of Ethiopia from 1995- 2001.
Negasso, who died at the age of 76 last week, is survived by three children./ENA