Wolayita Zone
Wolayita Zone
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Wolayita or Wolaita is an administrative
Wolayita has 358 kilometres (222 mi) of all-weather roads and 425 kilometres (264 mi) of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 187 kilometres per 1000 square kilometres.[4] Its highest point is Mount Damota (2738 meters).
History
Before 1894
The people of Wolayta are known for their more than fifty kings within four dynasties.
From 1894
Despite the centuries-old oppression, the
Quest for statehood
During the 1991-94 Transitional Government period, the Wolayta had its own Region which was Kilil 9 but it was merged into the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR) when the federation was constituted in 1995. Since, there has been public discontent and opposition members requesting autonomy were beaten, tortured, and a significant number of youths exiled.[8]
In 1997,
Until 2000 Wolayita was part of the North Omo Zone, and the 1994 national census counted its inhabitants as part of that zone. However friction between the various ethnic groups in North Omo, which was often blamed on the Wolayta for "ethnic chauvinism" and despite the efforts of the ruling party to emphasize the need to co-ordinate, consolidate, and unify the smaller ethnic units to achieve the "efficient use of scarce government resources", eventually led to the division of the zone in 2000, resulting in the creation of not only the Wolayita, but also the Gamo Gofa and Dawro Zones, and two special woredas.[10]
The constitutional rights of the Wolayta people for statehood has gathered momentum in the recent years, where following widespread consultation held at all levels the proposal to establish a Wolaita Regional State was approved. During the administration of Dagato Kumbe, the Zonal Council unanimously voted to demand statehood, and consistent with the letter and spirit of the Constitution sent a formal letter on 19 December 2018 to the SNNPR Government requesting a referendum.[9]
In August 2020 38 members of SNNPR Council who represent the Wolaita zone withdrew themselves from the region's council in protests against move to reorganize the region into 4 states. Wolaita zone representatives say the move didn't consider their request for separate statehood.[11]
In May and December 2019 rallies were held in Wolaita supporting the separation of the zone from the SNNPR to become a region in its own right. A rally on 20 December 2019, oppose the failure of the regional council to send a request of the zone to become a regional state to the National Board of Election to arrange a referendum.[12]
2023 Referendum
In 2018 Wolayita have submitted a request to the
On 1 August 2022 after several months passed, the Wolayita zonal council gave in by reversing its decision and agreed to join the other zones and special woredas to form one state. As result, in February, referendum was held in Wolayta and other five zones and five special woredas in the
On 20 February, the National Election Board of Ethiopia released the results of referendum. However the official results from the Wolayita Zone were not announced at the moment.[15] As the board stated the case was a variety of irregularities occurred before and during the vote. These irregularities are due to the strict move for Wolayita to form their own regional state. As result, Wolayita Zone referendum was rerun on 19 June 2023. The referendum held for second time is different from other referendums held in Ethiopia as its voter registration and voting was held in one day.[16] After eight days later, the result was released and made Wolaita Zone as the part of South Ethiopia Regional State.
Geography
Wolayta is one of the 16 Zonal Administrations of the Southern Region In Ethiopia, located about 300 kilometers (190 mi) south of Addis Ababa. Wolayta is limited north west by Tambaro, eastward by
The vegetation and climate of the large part of the region are conditioned by an overall elevation of between 1,500 and 1,800 meters (5,900 ft) above the sea level. There are, however, five mountains higher than 2,000 meters (6,600 ft), with Mount Damota — at 3,000 meters — at the center.
Through undulating hills there are no large forests except in the Sodo Zuria, and Omo river basin, which is below 1,500 meters (4,900 ft) and a malaria zone.
In the local view, there are only two regions: the highlands Gezziya and the lowlands Garaa. In the highlands, there are streams and small rivers. Several thermal hot springs are situated around Lake Abaya, with boiling and steaming water.
The soil of the Wolayta is of heavy red color which becomes brown and black during the rains and has the fragility and the softness of sand. The dry period makes the soil hard as brick, making ploughing and digging possible after the rains. The layer of soil is very deep—an average of 30 meters—in both the plains and the hills, as verified during the drilling of wells. The soil is fertile and produce two crops per year when the rains are regular.
Climate
Wolaita's climate has a bimodal rainfall pattern that lasts from March to October. The first rainy season lasts from March to May. The season lasts from July to October, with a peak in July and August. Over the last 43 years, the average annual rainfall has been 1,014 mm (39.9 in). The average yearly temperature is 19.9 °C, with monthly temperatures ranging from 17.7 °C in July to 22.1 °C in February and March.[17]
The climate is stable, with temperature variation between 24 and 30 °C during the day and 16 to 20 °C at night, all year round.[18] The year is divided into two seasons: the wet season (balgguwaa) from June to October, and the dry season (boniya) from October to June, broken in February by a short period of so-called "little rains" (badhdheesaa). The average rainfall for the entire region is 1,350 millimetres (53 in) per year.[19]
The dry season is characterized by a strong wind which blows from the east. During the wet seasons, heavy precipitation and violent storms which, at the end of the season can last a full evening or night are common events. Fog can be seen in the valleys almost every morning of the rainy season; it then evaporates in the first hours of the sun. In both dry and wet seasons either hail which destroys crops or tornadoes, which knock down trees, are possible events.
Demographics
Based on the 2021 population projection conducted by the
The 2007 Census conducted by the CSA reported a total population for this Zone of 1,501,112. While 366,567 or 11.49% were urban inhabitants, a further 1,196 or 0.08% were pluralists. A total of 310,454 households were counted in the zone, which resulted in an average of 4.84 persons to a household, and 297,981 housing units. The largest ethnic group reported in the zone was the Wolayta (96.31%); all other ethnic groups made up 3.69% of the population.
Urbanization
Wolaita Zone is composed of sixteen woredas and seven city administrations. There are also different towns and cities in the Wolaita zone. Sodo town is administrative and trading center it is located at the center of roads to and seven entering gates. The followings are urban centres in the Wolaita Zone.
Culture
Gifaataa is the most well-known festival among those rituals in Wolaita that has been celebrated annually in the month of September. The festival of New Year in Wolaita called Gifaataa, is celebrated eating the special foods Baacciraa and Muchchuwaa on the eve and throughout the celebration weeks. Gifaataa is Wolaita's New year festival-which Wolaitas had been celebrating many hundred years ago. Gifaataa celebrated in always Sunday in each Year, which falls between Meskerem (September) 14 and 20.[22] Gifaataa is a bridge that brings together all from near and far.[23]
Tourism
Tourists coming into Wolaita Sodo enter the city from Addis Ababa by traveling overland through the
There are different potential tourist sites, that were selected in the Wolaita Zone to assess the region's ability to capture the natural heritage and cultural heritage tourist markets.[25]
Ajora Falls
The Ajora Falls are twin waterfalls formed by the Ajancho and Skokie rivers located approximately 390 km (240 mi) from Addis Ababa. The Ajancho waterfall drops 210 meters (690 ft) from the edge of the cliff while the Soke is slightly less at 170 meters (560 ft). The 118 falls are located 7 km (4.3 mi) north of the town of Areka, but access to the site requires driving roughly 25 km (16 mi) along a dirt from the town. As with many tourist sites throughout Ethiopia, tourism at Ajora Falls is dominated by domestic tourists, sometimes exceeding foreign tourists by 23 times. Annually the site averages 14 international and 195 domestic tourists.[26]
Mochena Borago
The
Natural Bridge
Natural bridge is found in
Abala Chokare (Bilbo Hotspring)
The hot spring is situated in Humbo Woreda Abela mareka kebele. The circle shaped hot spring covers wide areas and has rising smoke and boiled bubbles coming from within the ground and the water vapor can be seen from a distance.[28]
Mount Damota
Damota mountain is found in wolaita zone Sodo Zuria woreda about 12 k.m away from the town of Sodo to the North, and is nearly 3000 meter above sea level.
Sports
There are different clubs in Wolaita that compete in various sporting activities at a national and continental level. Wolaitta Dicha S.C. is an Ethiopian football club based in Sodo. The club was established in 2009 by the Welayta Development Association. Wolaitta Dicha is a name that now common with East African nationals and even the entire Africa. The club from Southern Ethiopia eliminated Egyptian giants and five times winners of the CAF Champions league Zamalek in a dramatic penalty shootout in Cairo. The club replaced the Wolaita Tussa S.C. before the so-called tussa restructured and came into picture newly. The club got its nickname "Bees of Tona" from the Wolaita Kingdom leader "King Tona" in the 19th century. Wolaitta Dicha S.C. club won its first domestic cup in 2017, and qualified for the 2018 CAF Confederation Cup, in which the club beat Zamalek SC and passed to the quarter-final.
Wolaita Sodo City sport Club is also another which is based in the city of Wolaita Sodo. It was officially established in 2011. The club is participating in Ethiopian First League.
Boditi City F.C. is Ethiopian football club based on the city of Boditi. In 2021 the Club represented Wolayita Zone in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR) regional Championship in Jinka, ended its season with a victory.[29]
Areka City F.C. is a club that is based at Areka in Wolaita. It was officially established in 2000. They are a member of the Ethiopian Football Federation and play in the Ethiopian First League.
Mass media
The Wolaita Zone Administration has made great strides in the social, economic and political spheres over the years in its efforts to achieve rapid and sustainable economic growth by developing a long-term and medium-term plan to alleviate poverty and backwardness and improve the public's access to various media resources. The mass media in wolaita consist of radio, television and the Internet, which remain under the control of the Ethiopian government, as well as private newspapers and magazines. The radio broadcasting stations in Sodo include Radio wogeta 96.6 and Radio fana 99.9. Satellite television has been very popular in Ethiopia for many years. In addition to this, Wolaita Tv which made Wolaita Zone accessible to the cultural and historical information of the people of the zone by investing heavily in various media outlets due to the lack of television media in the area.[31]
Education
This section's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. (November 2023) |
Education is a key to ensuring the sustainable socio-economic and political development of a country. Wolaita Zone, in Ethiopia's South Ethiopia Regional State, is a rural and thickly inhabited area. The educational system is struggling to provide excellent instruction and assistance, and secondary schools are in limited supply. To this end to improve education system in the Zone, Zonal education department working with Scotland’s leading international education charity. This organization working to improve education across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.[32] In Wolaita, there are schools that are among the oldest in Ethiopia; for instance, the Dubbo Our Lady’s Catholic School and Ligaba Aba-Sebsib school, which were established in 1933 and 1945, respectively. Wolaita Sodo University (WSU), established in 2007, is a public higher education institution located in Sodo. The university has been engaged in teaching/learning, research and community services. The university has campuses in different areas, such as in Gandaba, Otona and Dawuro Tarcha Campuses.
There are different government and private colleges are opened in Wolaita Zone. Wolayta sodo Agricultural College This college was established in 2001. It is technical and vocational training centre established in
List of head administrators of Wolaita Zone
Wolaita Zone chief administrators since 2000.[33]
Tenure | Portrait | Incumbent | Affiliation | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2000–2001 | Mamo Godebo | SEPDM |
||
2001 – 2004 | Firew Altaye | SEPDEM | ||
2004 – 2008 | Amanuel Otoro | SEPDEM | ||
2008 – 2010 | Haileberhan Zena (PhD) | SEPDM | ||
2011 - 2013 | Tesfaye Yigezu | SEPDM | ||
2013 – 2016 | Eyob Wate | SEPDM | ||
2016 – 2018 | Asrat Tera (PhD) | SEPDM | ||
July 2018 to 13 November 2018 | Getahun Garedew (PhD) | SEPDM | ||
13 November 2018 to 28 August 2020 | Dagato Kumbe | Prosperity Party | Removed from office[34] | |
28 August 2020 to 19 October 2021 | Endrias Geta (PhD) | Prosperity party | ||
19 October 2021 to 8 September 2023 | Akililu Lemma | Prosperity party | ||
8 September 2023 to present | Samuel Fola | Prosperity Party |
Economy
Agriculture is the livelihood for more than 90% of the population in the rural areas. Animal husbandry is complementary to crop production, and the livestock population of Wolayita with estimated standing populations of 685,886 cattle, 87,525 sheep, 90,215 goats, 1951 horses, 669,822 poultry and 38,564 bee hives.[35] Farmers are well known for the production of livestock, predominantly cattle for their organic beef and butter (Million, 2003). They have long tradition of fattening oxen distinctively practiced using local/home based feed supplement/concentrate (cereal grains, root and tuber crops), household leftovers, grass)(Takele and Habtamu, 2009). The Sodo milkshed is also one of the areas with a strong potential to achieve growth in milk production. Maize, haricot bean, taro, sweet potato, enset, banana, avocado, mango and coffee are the major crops with tremendous benefits to smallholder farmers’ in Wolaita and surrounding areas (CSA, 2020). Cassava is also flourishing nowadays. Mixed farming involving the production of cereals, root crops,
Administrative divisions
Number | Woredas | Seat |
---|---|---|
1 | Abala Abaya | Faracho |
2 | Bayra Koysha | Beklo Segno |
3 | Boloso Bombe | Bombe |
4 | Boloso Sore | Areka* |
5 | Damot Gale | Boditi* |
6 | Damot Pulasa | Shanto |
7 | Damot Sore | Gununo* |
8 | Damot Weyde | Bedessa |
9 | Diguna Fango | Bitena |
10 | Hobicha | Bada |
11 | Humbo | Tebela* |
12 | Kawo Koysha | Lasho |
13 | Kindo Didaye | Halale |
14 | Kindo Koysha | Bale Hawassa* |
15 | Offa | Gesuba* |
16 | Sodo Zuria | Sodo* |
• City administrations, which are considered as
Fauna and Flora
In the Wolaita, the spread of animal species is also diverse. Middle-order mammals predominate, with a small population of herbivores and a small number of peripheral species.[38] Throughout the year, eucalyptus, pines, acacia, magnolias, fire trees, and giant sycamores coexist alongside fake banana trees (Uuttaa). Grass may reach three meters in height towards the conclusion of the wet season. The communities are surrounded by enormous fields of grain and, above all, large cotton plantations, which serve as indicators of their wealth. Here is the cotton land, where Ethiopian mantles are manufactured, where this plant thrives, which, together with coffee, is the source of Ethiopia's current wealth and will become the country's major export commodity in the near future. Maize, wheat, durra, barley, and teff are all grown in the area. Many of them may be harvested twice a year. All Mediterranean trees produce fruit throughout the year: grapes, apples, pears, peaches, apricots, oranges, tangerines, bananas, papayas, avocados, and so on.
Notable persons
- Asrat Tera (PhD), is an Ethiopian politician serving as Director General of Livestock Development Institute of Ethiopia since October 2018
- Chernet Gugesa, an Ethiopian professional who plays for Ethiopian Premier League club Saint George and the Ethiopia national team
- Dagato Kumbe, former chief adiminstrator of Wolayita Zone and Director General of FDRE Documents Registration and Authentication Service
- Endrias Geta, is an Ethiopian politician serving as State Minister of Ministry of Irrigation and Lowland and Areas
- Firew Altaye, Ethiopian politician and second chief administrator of Wolayita Zone
- Gebremeskel Chala (PhD), current Minister of the Ethiopian Trade and Regional Integration
- Getahun Garedew (PhD), Director General of FDRE Environment Protection Authority, former State minister at Ministry of Education
- Gildo Kassa, Ethiopian record producer, songwriter and singer
- Haileberhan Zena, is an Ethiopian politician who is serving as Deputy chief executive of Federal Housing Corporation since June 2017
- Hailemariam Desalegn, (Engineer), former Prime Minister of Ethiopia
- Kamuzu Kassa, Ethiopian music composer and songwriter
- Kawo Motolomi Sate, founder and one of the most famous kings of Kingdom of Wolaita. He ruled most part of the present day Ethiopia in the 12th century under the Damot Kingdom
- Kawo Ogato Sana, was one of the most renowned kings of the Kingdom of Wolaita along with Tigre dynasty.
- Kawo Tona Gaga, the last king of Kingdom of Wolaita. Believed to be one of the greatest warriors and the most powerful king of Wolayta. His army defeated King Menelik's forces six times before losing to combined forces of Menelik and Abba Jifar in 1896.
- Kawo Sana Tube, was 9th king from Wolaita Tigre dynasty during Kingdom of Wolaita
- Legese Mota, was a governor of Ethiopia National Bank during Derg regime
- General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Ethiopiafrom 1984 to 1991
- Roman Tesfaye, First Lady of Ethiopia (2012–2018). In the past, she held senior management positions in the United Nations Development Program and other offices[39]
- Samuel Urkato (PhD), commissioner of Federal Anti-corruption Commission, he also served as Minister of Ministry of Science and Higher Education
- Sancho Gebre, Ethiopian singer, choreographer and dancer
- Simeon Galore, was chief administrator of Illubabor and North Omo region
- Teklewold Atnafu, Ethiopian politician who governed the National Bank of Ethiopia for nearly two decades
- Tesfaye Yigezu is an Ethiopian politician who is currently serving as Deputy president of South Ethiopia Regional State
- Teshome Toga, Ambassador to China
- Yeshurun Alemayehu, (PhD), is Deputy Director General of Ethiopian Space Science & Technology Institute, Team Leader of the First Ethiopian Satellite Development Team
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