Meles Zenawi's Body Arrives in Ethiopia

August 22, 2012 —Meles Zenawi's body landed in Bole Airport at around 10:00pm local time, where a large crowd of senior officials, military officers, priests and supporters gathered to pay tribute to the late prime minister.

The coffin of Meles was wrapped with the Ethiopian flag and escorted to the National Palace through congested traffic by a dozen caravan of SUVs.

Thousands of supporters held candles and lined up the procession route in Addis Ababa to mourn in an ostentatious display of grief, that some observers noted, eerily resembled that of North Korean funeral procession.

Senior officials, including the acting Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, were visibly seen weeping for their late comrade. Meles' wife, Azeb Mesfin, wailed and ran around in distress before she was restrained by her 27-year-old daughter, Semhal Meles.

The former guerrilla fighter and long-ruling despot was receiving treatment from an unspecified illness in Brussels, before succumbing to an infection and passing away on Monday night, state-run media reported.

Government officials said they were in frequent talks with Meles until five days ago, when his health rapidly deteriorated and it became apparent that he was no longer going to survive.

In the coming days, the ruling party plans to gather to decide who the deputy PM and foreign minister will be; both positions that were formerly held by the acting PM.

Semhal Meles (L), Azeb Mesfin (C) and Marda Meles
mourning the loss of Meles Zenawi. Semhal and Marda are Meles'
daughters, while Azeb is his wife.

Azeb Mesfin being restrained by her daughters Marda and Semhal Meles.

Bereket Simon, Ethiopia's Communication Minister, weeps over
his comrades demise.

Meles Zenawi's coffin covered with the Ethiopian flag in
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - 10-21-2012

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