JIGJIGA (Halbeeg News) – Meles Zenawi Memorial Hospital in Jigjiga has been renamed the Yabaree Memorial Hospital in honour of late Somali poet.
Somali regional state has announced that it is dropping the hospital’s former name (Meles Zenawi Memorial Referral Hospital) and assuming a new name which is Sheikh Hassan Yabaree, a name of a well-known poet from Jigjiga zone.
The Foundation stone for the construction of the hospital was laid by former Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in 2011 but was inaugurated in 2011 by his successor Hailemariam Desalegn.
The reason for the name change was not given, according to Awramba Times that broke the news.
The hospital which was funded by Jigjiga University is currently managed by the university.
The development comes barely a week after Shebel Meles Rai school was renamed as Shebel school.
Analysts say this part of President Mustafa Omer’s initiative to honour and promote Somali culture, history, identity, heroes and above all – symbols of ‘Somaalinimo’.
Ethiopia is currently undergoing deep political reform led by the new Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Many political groups and personalities who left the country for one reason or another, and some of whom were previously banned from the country, are returning home.
Many of these groups strongly condemned the policies promoted by Meles Zenawi.
Discussion about this post