“Mengistu Haile, The Ethiopian Dictator Who Helped Overthrow Emperor Haile Selassie and Is Now Hiding in Zimbabwe”
Mengistu Haile Mariam is Ethiopia’s former dictator who played a leading role in the overthrow of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974, bringing an end to over 3,000 years of Ethiopian imperial history. He later ruled the country for 14 years before fleeing to Zimbabwe in 1991.
In 1974, Ethiopia faced serious problems, including famine, rising prices and unrest among soldiers over poor pay. Mengistu became a leading member of the Derg, a military group that took advantage of the situation to remove the emperor from power.
On September 12, 1974, Derg formally deposed Haile Selassie, ending his reign. Mengistu initially shared power with other military leaders but gradually eliminated his rivals. By 1977, he had emerged as Ethiopia’s dominant leader.
Mengistu became known as a dictator because his government violently suppressed political opponents. During the Red Terror campaign of 1977–1978, security forces targeted people suspected of opposing the regime, resulting in thousands of deaths and widespread arrests. His government also restricted political freedoms and nationalised land and major industries.
Mengistu’s rule ended in May 1991 as rebel forces moving to remove his regime from power advanced towards Addis Ababa. He fled Ethiopia and sought refuge in Zimbabwe, where then-President Robert Mugabe’s government granted him protection.
In December 2006, an Ethiopian court found Mengistu guilty of genocide and other crimes in absentia. He initially received a life sentence in 2007, but Ethiopia’s Supreme Court increased it to death in May 2008. Zimbabwe refused to extradite him.
Mengistu has continued to live in exile in Zimbabwe, avoiding the sentence imposed by an Ethiopian court.
-Victor Adundo