Space science and a veteran’s struggle

Tefera Walwa, a veteran politician and a former high-ranking government official, stands tall among a few political leaders of the ruling party, the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), since the party’s armed struggle days.

Tefera’s public services range from Mayorship of Addis Ababa to Minister of Defense, Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia to Minister of Capacity Building. Now his full attention is given to space science technology. Renowned for his distinctive attire, especially his signature tweed jacket that later came to be known a Walwa, he is all about space science these days. While playing slow Chinese music in the background, Tefera likes to think about the concept of space science in calm surroundings. He talks about the new development in space science, the stars, the moon and the universe with passion and a sense of humor. His deep love for space science conceived at a very young age did not wear off through the two decades of armed struggle, bloodshed and testing hardship. Now as a board member of the Ethiopian Space Science Society, the establishment of the society and the observatory on mount Entoto are some of things he is proud of. As a political figure who believes investment in space science technology is inevitable for Ethiopia, he strives every day to influence policymakers. Now seeing a glimmer of light, Tefera feels Ethiopia is on the right track to use space science technology. Tibebeselassie Tigabu of The Reporter sat down with Tefera to discuss his passion for the field and the prospect it holds for Ethiopia. Excerpts:

The Reporter: You are known among the scientific community for your stargazing activities. How did you develop that habit?

Tefera Walwa: Let me start with my journey and how I immersed myself in space science. The love came during my childhood. The significant period of time was when I was a 6th grader, especially with the subject of ‘Hibreteseb’ (during our time this subject comprised History and Geography). On our Hibreteseb textbook there was a picture of our solar system consisting of the nine planets, the sun and the moon. This book talks about the solar system and some facts in relation to the earth. Some of the facts were very interesting to me: such as the distance between the earth and the moon and the distance between the earth and the sun. Going into details, it also talks about the immense heat of the sun has and how there is nothing that defies gravity. At that time, human beings had not set foot on the moon. So all this information intrigued me to ask a question. I asked the teachers how these distances were measured; how we estimated the distance between the earth and sun, which is 97 million kilometers, with the burning heat standing between the two bodies. My other question was how they defy gravity to go there when doing the measurement. The teacher furiously ordered me to sit down; honestly I felt a deep sadness. Going on to 7th grade, all the subjects became more complex and more science subjects were included in the syllabus course. Even though the teachers yelled at me, those questions were haunting me so badby that I had to ask my Physics teacher again. He told me it was a very difficult question and that there is no answer to it. At least this teacher was polite to me. My question was not answered and again, in 8th grade, I asked my Physics teacher the same questions. He too told me that he did not know the answer. This was the right answer, but I struggled and read so many books for years to find some answers. During that time, there were frequent Peace Corps volunteers and there was one teacher by the name of Mr Dick. He was a very tall fellow, whose towering stature made him look like he almost reached the sky. It is only then that the Americans set foot on the moon and many astronomical books were donated to Ethiopia. I was the president of the literature club in my school and so the dean gave us the books. Those books became my obsession and I was looking for the answer constantly. After moving to Addis Ababa around 1972, I frequented the library at the Chamber of Commerce. So starting from then, what I decided was to pursue my education and my first choice was Astronomy and my second choice Philosophy. Let alone then, still now Astronomy is not a course that has been given attention to by the universities in Ethiopia (smiles.) By the way, after struggling all those years for an answer, I finally answered my question, which excited and angered me at the same time because the answers were right there all along; and they were very simple. It was a technical calculation; I found that out when I was in the 10th grade. My dream, life, everything, the thing that moves me was space science. Things did not go as planned however and, in 1974, I knew I was not going to pursue my education; I joined the armed struggle and became a guerrilla fighter. The struggle did not take away space science from me, it was in my heart.

While you were in the struggle, did you have a chance to read about space science? Did you regret not becoming an astronomer?
I do not regret it at all. My struggle was for a better cause. Being an astronomer was a personal dream although it had the potential to benefit the public in the long run. But the struggle was for more than myself; rather it was for the benefit of the Ethiopian people. The struggle took my time and my energy. On the plus side, after the struggle, I saw substantial change in the lives of the people I fought for and I saw it while I was still alive, that was very rewarding. So I do not regret any bit of it. Coming to the reading part, there was no chance for me to read while I was in the struggle. The books that were available were more of political, political philosophy, warfare strategies, and sometimes fictions. The books we collected were of that genre. But, I always talked about the outer space and our base camp gave me time to reflect, to see the stars vividly and be in peace with outer space. I was close to the stars, the moon, the constellation and also the shooting stars more than ever. I had a position of deputy commander in my division. After that I became division commissar (it is like a political leader). The commissar is given a radio set to listen to the BBC, Deutsche Welle (Amharic and English), VOA (Amharic and English) and also to listen to Ethiopian radio to extract some helpful information for the struggle. Hence I had access to a radio. While searching for different stations, I found a program on VOA named Space and Man. It was a weekly program on Wednesdays around 9:15 pm, the first day I listened to it, it was talking about the different galaxies and I was so excited (laughs). After that, I never missed a program even during times of fierce fighting. I just put on my earphones while the guns started to roar or canons were blasting. At one time, I remember there was a fierce battle where big armaments, canons and tanks were involved. It does not matter what happens to the world, it might cease to exist but I would not miss that 15-minut radio program. The program also profiled scientists and gave out their contact information; I remembered also writing a letter to NASA.

What kind of letter did you write?

The content briefly was how I always listened to their program, and explained my situation, how I was out of contact and in guerrilla warfare. So I asked them to actually send me books and magazines to read.

Did they write back?

It turned out to be a different story. I will tell you some other day (smiles).

In that war zone situation how come you decided to write a letter? Is it because you were winning the war? And how did you mail it?

There was no post office. We were controlling such a big space that if the Derg came to our territory they would be challenged. The territory extended from Western Wollo, Wag, Lasta, to Eastern and Western Gondar. It was around 1984. The only way I could send the letter was through people. We were in the process of opening an office abroad but TPLF had a branch office abroad. So, I sent it through them; I gave it to the former Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. That is also another expensive story so should stop here (laughs).

How can you listen to the radio while there is the sound of gunfire?

I put on my earphones. I always delegate people and after that I would be in my own zone. They don’t know what I did.

For how long did the radio program go on?

Starting from 1978 up to the down fall of the Derg and even after we took power, I continued to listen to it. Now, I have many books, websites that I can follow. So the program was interrupted. Especially after assuming power there were many meetings that I had to attend, and I could not postpone/interrupting them for my radio programs.

While you were in the struggle, was there anyone who shared your interest?

There was no one. It was only me, actually I discussed it with myself. Some of the thoughts I entertained were very interesting to hear, but people considered me an illusionist. They always asked me what I am going to do with it. All in all, they let me be who I am. It does not mean that there were no jokes, there were some jokes. They were amazed by my interest. They thought I was somehow an alien visitor from a different world.

Didn’t you have a nickname to that effect?

I did. Especially after I sent the letter, they started calling me Robert Douglas.

Who is Robert Douglas?

There was a man who responded to my letter saying he was Robert Douglas. This is also another story for another time (smiles.)

Did you not feel caught up in the two worlds (the armed struggle and space science)?

Actually, it did not take anything away from my struggle. In my own view, somehow it broadened my mind. It is like philosophy. It helped me to imagine the unimaginable. Our Milky Way galaxy is one of the infinite galaxies and there are more than 200 billion stars. Our galaxy is not even the biggest. One can imagine how many stars there are in space, the depth; it’s like an endless journey. There is a new sighting of a new galaxy far away from ours. This was founded by the international space station’s telescope called Hubble. The galaxy is located 13.7 billion light years away; 1 light year is 9.6 trillion km long. The philosophy we came to learn about during our struggle is that when people are sophisticated and enabled with science and technology they can tame nature.

Were you able to stargaze back then?

There were no telescopes; but I was able to see the stars. I try to see where the stars are. But, not like the way I do now. I could not do the star mapping for instance. Now, I have a telescope. Now, I can see any star I want. Dividing the space into three, there is the near, medium and deeper space. The deeper space is very far away, like 14.7 light years away. So, my telescope lets me see the nearest space and even out of our solar system. By the way, human beings invented a machine that can go to outer space, out of our solar system; it is called a voyager one and it took 17 years to reach there. I don’t know the speed of the satellite was but the astronauts usually travel at least 16,000 km per hour.

When did you buy your first telescope?

I did not buy it. It was a gift from foreigners. I think they were American. It was in 2000 and I donated it to a school. After that I actually bought another telescope. I bought up to four telescopes and now I only have one after donating the rest to the Space Science Society.

After taking power, how did you manage your time with space science?

It was not difficult. I mean devoting minutes or one hour to it was not a difficult thing to do. After leaving the position/responsibility from the party or government and comparing the work I have done, I am amazed at how I did it. I had a lot of energy.

EPRDF is one of the vanguard parties (being loyal to the party more than anything is important). So was there any opposition about your love for space science?

There is always responsibility to the party and the people who are priority number one. People read fictions during their spare time, and I do this. It is very manageable. The responsibility was a lot and usually we stay even after midnight. I have to finish everything before I sleep. During the transitional period, I was working in Addis Ababa administration and people used to tell me that I need a break. One of the economic experts I respected once said that I should take a break, and I told him things would be easier after the transitional period. He was not a member of EPRDF but he was doing a lot of work. Actually after the transitional period, the jobs started to pile up more than ever. When things settled down and the country was improving with progress the responsibility and the burden grew more than ever.

Did you pursue your childhood dream by studying astronomy?

No, I did not learn astronomy. What I learned was an education that can be helpful in leadership and governance. We are always students. We always took trainings. We covered most of the politics, political philosophy while we were in the struggle. After we assumed power, we wanted to do public administration and studied Management and after that I did Economics. I actually did not finish Economics and only studied it for a year. I should not have stopped. For me, space science is in my everyday life; it is in me. For example, in the Economist magazine there is a Science and Technology page. I always give priority to space science and after that I read Politics and Economy.

How is your involvement in the Space Science Society and your contribution?

Our Space Science Society was established ten years ago. I always thought I was the only one who loved and was interested in space science. I always thought I was an alien visitor whether in our guerrilla fighting days or after. I did not meet anyone who is positive about the necessity of space science. I think it was in 2003 that I was talking to a judge about a justice system in this country and how to improve it.

And he said to change the attitude of the people there is a need for Astronomy. I was amazed to find a man who had a Law background who loves space science. Back then, I used to stargaze with an Italian friend of mine. I told him my stargazing activity and the judge wanted to see my telescope and he was excited. Another time also, I heard another man on the radio talking about space science, soon I tracked him down. After that, I started meeting people with the same interest such as the former Speaker of the House Dawit Yohannes, Supreme Court President Kemal Bedri, Professor Mesfin Abebe, and we became around seven. We talked about the necessity of establishing an association. After two or three months, we became 47 and we established the Space Science Society at my house. The society comprised four groups: politicians like me, Dawit Yohannes, Sufian Ahmed; judges and lawyers; business people like Sheik Mohammed al Amoudi; Addis Ababa University teachers, students, high school teachers and students. Our main priority was to correct the misconception of space science technology in Ethiopia. Many believed space science was for developed countries and that for us it was a luxury. There is no one who did not use the space science technology. We are all dependent on it. So that was the first campaign we did.

How is the journey of the Space Science Society? What have you achieved so far?

When we established the Society some plans were outlined and the first priority or campaign was to create awareness, especially among the policymakers and the elite group. The misconception was considering it a luxury for a developed country, even though we are using it. Because of that we were called the crazy group. Through our striving campaigning we were able to change the misconception. The Ethiopian Space Science Society became an entity that can represent the country and decide on behalf of the country. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) is an international organization that passes decisions on behalf of the UN on astronomical issues, issues such as how Pluto is not a planet. IAU has a branch office in South Africa named OAD for all developing countries. To host the office for Africa, Ethiopia competed. So now we are able to have the East African charter serving the whole continent. Now, the Ethiopian government is allocating a budget for the office and we were able to bring a substantial change in this regard. The other plan we had was to produce professionals equipped with space science knowledge. We were able to send students to South Africa, Europe and America and there are around 24 students who have done their Ph.D.s and there are also many who have Master’s qualification. I am not talking about those who went on their own and who are hired by big institutions. Now, three universities, namely Addis Ababa, Jimma and Bahirdar have started offering space science courses at a PhD level, since space science is very wide and includes all the subjects that apply to the earth: Astro-biology, Astro-physics, Space-history. So, some subjects are chosen and are given as courses. Out of the students we sent abroad, only a few were able to get back. Their justification was that they did not want to teach but rather wanted to do research. That’s why we built the Entoto Observatory Site. We bought two scientific telescopes. This will be a place even to design satellites in the future. This will start fully in September. We are praying and waiting to be commissioned. We found five commissioners from Europe and America to examine our observatory; the expectation is zero defects. There are different telescopes and optical infrared telescopes, they cannot be planted anywhere. For example, in Africa, northern and western Africa cannot use it. East Africa, countries like Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania, can use it. In the world, one of the best places to set up a satellite is in Chile: in the Atacama Desert. America’s biggest telescope is found in Chile. The best possible place in Ethiopia is now in Lalibela. We chose three places and the infrastructure is almost completed. It will be fit to do research. If Lalibela is found to be a good place like Chile, all eyes will be on Ethiopia. We are hoping it will be successful; the country’s gain will be abundant. We are also collaborating with many countries. Now we are a member of the international organization, together with 73 other countries. The world map did not know Ethiopia through space science technology and now the world knows the country. International cooperation and support offers are coming our way. After being a member, many countries such as Russia, Korea, China, and America are supporting us. Especially with South Africa, we have a very strong tie. Nigeria is self-sufficient in intelligence, communication and also earth-sighting satellites. We also have strong cooperation with them. If the government had not called us crazy and had worked together with us a while back we would have been at the level where Nigeria is at the moment. This level we have now is not bad at all and we got here in ten years. We developed five strategies and we are waiting for the government to implement them. Within three years, Ethiopia will be self-sufficient in basic things such as a communication satellite. Currently, Ethiopia uses satellites by renting it from different countries. The main point is not, having a satellite or not since it is easy to have a satellite; rather it is having the mind capable of controlling the satellites.

What about you? People know you as a politician and how do they see you now when you are diverting your attention to this new field?

I was told to my face that I am a crazy man who is walking naked (smiles). I don’t think there is anything more than that. This means nobody could listen to you but rather mock you. My colleagues have said that to me and also many people. We were able to win that. Now all that is ancient history, and our cause seems to have gained legitimacy when we presented it to the parliament and also to the regional offices. Our first job was to let them know that it is not a luxury but something we can use. The difference between the developed countries and us is not using or not using, rather we use it but we don’t recognize it. After leaving the government office, almost my full time job is here. The difference I found out is in the developed countries the policymakers and the elite (educated) ones work closely, they know the necessities. They allocate the budget and they are very sure of that. When they use these technologies they explore the potential to the fullest extent but in our case we use a small portion. When they use it they use their institution and their knowledge but in our case we use it but we use their institution, and their knowledge. For example, the Ministry of Education has more than ten channels and they pay millions of dollars to international companies. The developed countries contributed to the enrichment of space science technology but our contribution is very minimal or non-existent to the growth of international space science. Some say there is nothing we can contribute to science; I say our educated ones are going to those countries and, after giving them some trainings, the developed countries’ companies hire them. That, in my opinion, is a contribution. Whether people live in urban or rural area, they use the contribution of space science technology. Many people think the investment for this technology is very expensive, but I will say that is only a rumor. The expensive ones are those used by America, China and those countries in deep space science and in the international space station. This station costs around 80 billion dollars. It is run by the contribution of 20 countries. For example, Nigeria’s cost for the three satellites and for trainings was around 40 million pounds. I went out there and did my research in Nigeria and they are very cooperative. With the benefit it is giving, 40 million is nothing and we pay a lot of money for the rent of the satellites anyway. When I first went there, there were many foreigners but after a few years, I saw those people replaced by Nigerians.

What is your position in the Space Science Society?

For the past ten years I was the president of the society and my deputy was Kemal Bedri. As per our regulation, which dictates that after serving for ten years one has to be replaced, I was replaced. So, even though I cannot vote, I am still on the board serving the society. When there are issues concerning policy, I represent the country. Otherwise, when it is a matter of the science, the other scientists represent the country.

After leaving the government office, how busy are you?

I am very busy and I devote my time to space science technology.Space science and a veteran’s struggle

Tefera Walwa, a veteran politician and a former high-ranking government official, stands tall among a few political leaders of the ruling party, the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), since the party’s armed struggle days.

Tefera’s public services range from Mayorship of Addis Ababa to Minister of Defense, Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia to Minister of Capacity Building. Now his full attention is given to space science technology. Renowned for his distinctive attire, especially his signature tweed jacket that later came to be known a Walwa, he is all about space science these days. While playing slow Chinese music in the background, Tefera likes to think about the concept of space science in calm surroundings. He talks about the new development in space science, the stars, the moon and the universe with passion and a sense of humor. His deep love for space science conceived at a very young age did not wear off through the two decades of armed struggle, bloodshed and testing hardship. Now as a board member of the Ethiopian Space Science Society, the establishment of the society and the observatory on mount Entoto are some of things he is proud of. As a political figure who believes investment in space science technology is inevitable for Ethiopia, he strives every day to influence policymakers. Now seeing a glimmer of light, Tefera feels Ethiopia is on the right track to use space science technology. Tibebeselassie Tigabu of The Reporter sat down with Tefera to discuss his passion for the field and the prospect it holds for Ethiopia. Excerpts:

The Reporter: You are known among the scientific community for your stargazing activities. How did you develop that habit?

Tefera Walwa: Let me start with my journey and how I immersed myself in space science. The love came during my childhood. The significant period of time was when I was a 6th grader, especially with the subject of ‘Hibreteseb’ (during our time this subject comprised History and Geography). On our Hibreteseb textbook there was a picture of our solar system consisting of the nine planets, the sun and the moon. This book talks about the solar system and some facts in relation to the earth. Some of the facts were very interesting to me: such as the distance between the earth and the moon and the distance between the earth and the sun. Going into details, it also talks about the immense heat of the sun has and how there is nothing that defies gravity. At that time, human beings had not set foot on the moon. So all this information intrigued me to ask a question. I asked the teachers how these distances were measured; how we estimated the distance between the earth and sun, which is 97 million kilometers, with the burning heat standing between the two bodies. My other question was how they defy gravity to go there when doing the measurement. The teacher furiously ordered me to sit down; honestly I felt a deep sadness. Going on to 7th grade, all the subjects became more complex and more science subjects were included in the syllabus course. Even though the teachers yelled at me, those questions were haunting me so badby that I had to ask my Physics teacher again. He told me it was a very difficult question and that there is no answer to it. At least this teacher was polite to me. My question was not answered and again, in 8th grade, I asked my Physics teacher the same questions. He too told me that he did not know the answer. This was the right answer, but I struggled and read so many books for years to find some answers. During that time, there were frequent Peace Corps volunteers and there was one teacher by the name of Mr Dick. He was a very tall fellow, whose towering stature made him look like he almost reached the sky. It is only then that the Americans set foot on the moon and many astronomical books were donated to Ethiopia. I was the president of the literature club in my school and so the dean gave us the books. Those books became my obsession and I was looking for the answer constantly. After moving to Addis Ababa around 1972, I frequented the library at the Chamber of Commerce. So starting from then, what I decided was to pursue my education and my first choice was Astronomy and my second choice Philosophy. Let alone then, still now Astronomy is not a course that has been given attention to by the universities in Ethiopia (smiles.) By the way, after struggling all those years for an answer, I finally answered my question, which excited and angered me at the same time because the answers were right there all along; and they were very simple. It was a technical calculation; I found that out when I was in the 10th grade. My dream, life, everything, the thing that moves me was space science. Things did not go as planned however and, in 1974, I knew I was not going to pursue my education; I joined the armed struggle and became a guerrilla fighter. The struggle did not take away space science from me, it was in my heart.

While you were in the struggle, did you have a chance to read about space science? Did you regret not becoming an astronomer?

I do not regret it at all. My struggle was for a better cause. Being an astronomer was a personal dream although it had the potential to benefit the public in the long run. But the struggle was for more than myself; rather it was for the benefit of the Ethiopian people. The struggle took my time and my energy. On the plus side, after the struggle, I saw substantial change in the lives of the people I fought for and I saw it while I was still alive, that was very rewarding. So I do not regret any bit of it. Coming to the reading part, there was no chance for me to read while I was in the struggle. The books that were available were more of political, political philosophy, warfare strategies, and sometimes fictions. The books we collected were of that genre. But, I always talked about the outer space and our base camp gave me time to reflect, to see the stars vividly and be in peace with outer space. I was close to the stars, the moon, the constellation and also the shooting stars more than ever. I had a position of deputy commander in my division. After that I became division commissar (it is like a political leader). The commissar is given a radio set to listen to the BBC, Deutsche Welle (Amharic and English), VOA (Amharic and English) and also to listen to Ethiopian radio to extract some helpful information for the struggle. Hence I had access to a radio. While searching for different stations, I found a program on VOA named Space and Man. It was a weekly program on Wednesdays around 9:15 pm, the first day I listened to it, it was talking about the different galaxies and I was so excited (laughs). After that, I never missed a program even during times of fierce fighting. I just put on my earphones while the guns started to roar or canons were blasting. At one time, I remember there was a fierce battle where big armaments, canons and tanks were involved. It does not matter what happens to the world, it might cease to exist but I would not miss that 15-minut radio program. The program also profiled scientists and gave out their contact information; I remembered also writing a letter to NASA.

What kind of letter did you write?

The content briefly was how I always listened to their program, and explained my situation, how I was out of contact and in guerrilla warfare. So I asked them to actually send me books and magazines to read.

Did they write back?

It turned out to be a different story. I will tell you some other day (smiles).

In that war zone situation how come you decided to write a letter? Is it because you were winning the war? And how did you mail it?

There was no post office. We were controlling such a big space that if the Derg came to our territory they would be challenged. The territory extended from Western Wollo, Wag, Lasta, to Eastern and Western Gondar. It was around 1984. The only way I could send the letter was through people. We were in the process of opening an office abroad but TPLF had a branch office abroad. So, I sent it through them; I gave it to the former Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. That is also another expensive story so should stop here (laughs).

How can you listen to the radio while there is the sound of gunfire?

I put on my earphones. I always delegate people and after that I would be in my own zone. They don’t know what I did.

For how long did the radio program go on?

Starting from 1978 up to the down fall of the Derg and even after we took power, I continued to listen to it. Now, I have many books, websites that I can follow. So the program was interrupted. Especially after assuming power there were many meetings that I had to attend, and I could not postpone/interrupting them for my radio programs.

While you were in the struggle, was there anyone who shared your interest?

There was no one. It was only me, actually I discussed it with myself. Some of the thoughts I entertained were very interesting to hear, but people considered me an illusionist. They always asked me what I am going to do with it. All in all, they let me be who I am. It does not mean that there were no jokes, there were some jokes. They were amazed by my interest. They thought I was somehow an alien visitor from a different world.

Didn’t you have a nickname to that effect?

I did. Especially after I sent the letter, they started calling me Robert Douglas.

Who is Robert Douglas?

There was a man who responded to my letter saying he was Robert Douglas. This is also another story for another time (smiles.)

Did you not feel caught up in the two worlds (the armed struggle and space science)?

Actually, it did not take anything away from my struggle. In my own view, somehow it broadened my mind. It is like philosophy. It helped me to imagine the unimaginable. Our Milky Way galaxy is one of the infinite galaxies and there are more than 200 billion stars. Our galaxy is not even the biggest. One can imagine how many stars there are in space, the depth; it’s like an endless journey. There is a new sighting of a new galaxy far away from ours. This was founded by the international space station’s telescope called Hubble. The galaxy is located 13.7 billion light years away; 1 light year is 9.6 trillion km long. The philosophy we came to learn about during our struggle is that when people are sophisticated and enabled with science and technology they can tame nature.

Were you able to stargaze back then?

There were no telescopes; but I was able to see the stars. I try to see where the stars are. But, not like the way I do now. I could not do the star mapping for instance. Now, I have a telescope. Now, I can see any star I want. Dividing the space into three, there is the near, medium and deeper space. The deeper space is very far away, like 14.7 light years away. So, my telescope lets me see the nearest space and even out of our solar system. By the way, human beings invented a machine that can go to outer space, out of our solar system; it is called a voyager one and it took 17 years to reach there. I don’t know the speed of the satellite was but the astronauts usually travel at least 16,000 km per hour.

When did you buy your first telescope?

I did not buy it. It was a gift from foreigners. I think they were American. It was in 2000 and I donated it to a school. After that I actually bought another telescope. I bought up to four telescopes and now I only have one after donating the rest to the Space Science Society.

After taking power, how did you manage your time with space science?

It was not difficult. I mean devoting minutes or one hour to it was not a difficult thing to do. After leaving the position/responsibility from the party or government and comparing the work I have done, I am amazed at how I did it. I had a lot of energy.

EPRDF is one of the vanguard parties (being loyal to the party more than anything is important). So was there any opposition about your love for space science?

There is always responsibility to the party and the people who are priority number one. People read fictions during their spare time, and I do this. It is very manageable. The responsibility was a lot and usually we stay even after midnight. I have to finish everything before I sleep. During the transitional period, I was working in Addis Ababa administration and people used to tell me that I need a break. One of the economic experts I respected once said that I should take a break, and I told him things would be easier after the transitional period. He was not a member of EPRDF but he was doing a lot of work. Actually after the transitional period, the jobs started to pile up more than ever. When things settled down and the country was improving with progress the responsibility and the burden grew more than ever.

Did you pursue your childhood dream by studying astronomy?

No, I did not learn astronomy. What I learned was an education that can be helpful in leadership and governance. We are always students. We always took trainings. We covered most of the politics, political philosophy while we were in the struggle. After we assumed power, we wanted to do public administration and studied Management and after that I did Economics. I actually did not finish Economics and only studied it for a year. I should not have stopped. For me, space science is in my everyday life; it is in me. For example, in the Economist magazine there is a Science and Technology page. I always give priority to space science and after that I read Politics and Economy.

How is your involvement in the Space Science Society and your contribution?

Our Space Science Society was established ten years ago. I always thought I was the only one who loved and was interested in space science. I always thought I was an alien visitor whether in our guerrilla fighting days or after. I did not meet anyone who is positive about the necessity of space science. I think it was in 2003 that I was talking to a judge about a justice system in this country and how to improve it.

And he said to change the attitude of the people there is a need for Astronomy. I was amazed to find a man who had a Law background who loves space science. Back then, I used to stargaze with an Italian friend of mine. I told him my stargazing activity and the judge wanted to see my telescope and he was excited. Another time also, I heard another man on the radio talking about space science, soon I tracked him down. After that, I started meeting people with the same interest such as the former Speaker of the House Dawit Yohannes, Supreme Court President Kemal Bedri, Professor Mesfin Abebe, and we became around seven. We talked about the necessity of establishing an association. After two or three months, we became 47 and we established the Space Science Society at my house. The society comprised four groups: politicians like me, Dawit Yohannes, Sufian Ahmed; judges and lawyers; business people like Sheik Mohammed al Amoudi; Addis Ababa University teachers, students, high school teachers and students. Our main priority was to correct the misconception of space science technology in Ethiopia. Many believed space science was for developed countries and that for us it was a luxury. There is no one who did not use the space science technology. We are all dependent on it. So that was the first campaign we did.

How is the journey of the Space Science Society? What have you achieved so far?

When we established the Society some plans were outlined and the first priority or campaign was to create awareness, especially among the policymakers and the elite group. The misconception was considering it a luxury for a developed country, even though we are using it. Because of that we were called the crazy group. Through our striving campaigning we were able to change the misconception. The Ethiopian Space Science Society became an entity that can represent the country and decide on behalf of the country. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) is an international organization that passes decisions on behalf of the UN on astronomical issues, issues such as how Pluto is not a planet. IAU has a branch office in South Africa named OAD for all developing countries. To host the office for Africa, Ethiopia competed. So now we are able to have the East African charter serving the whole continent. Now, the Ethiopian government is allocating a budget for the office and we were able to bring a substantial change in this regard. The other plan we had was to produce professionals equipped with space science knowledge. We were able to send students to South Africa, Europe and America and there are around 24 students who have done their Ph.D.s and there are also many who have Master’s qualification. I am not talking about those who went on their own and who are hired by big institutions. Now, three universities, namely Addis Ababa, Jimma and Bahirdar have started offering space science courses at a PhD level, since space science is very wide and includes all the subjects that apply to the earth: Astro-biology, Astro-physics, Space-history. So, some subjects are chosen and are given as courses. Out of the students we sent abroad, only a few were able to get back. Their justification was that they did not want to teach but rather wanted to do research. That’s why we built the Entoto Observatory Site. We bought two scientific telescopes. This will be a place even to design satellites in the future. This will start fully in September. We are praying and waiting to be commissioned. We found five commissioners from Europe and America to examine our observatory; the expectation is zero defects. There are different telescopes and optical infrared telescopes, they cannot be planted anywhere. For example, in Africa, northern and western Africa cannot use it. East Africa, countries like Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania, can use it. In the world, one of the best places to set up a satellite is in Chile: in the Atacama Desert. America’s biggest telescope is found in Chile. The best possible place in Ethiopia is now in Lalibela. We chose three places and the infrastructure is almost completed. It will be fit to do research. If Lalibela is found to be a good place like Chile, all eyes will be on Ethiopia. We are hoping it will be successful; the country’s gain will be abundant. We are also collaborating with many countries. Now we are a member of the international organization, together with 73 other countries. The world map did not know Ethiopia through space science technology and now the world knows the country. International cooperation and support offers are coming our way. After being a member, many countries such as Russia, Korea, China, and America are supporting us. Especially with South Africa, we have a very strong tie. Nigeria is self-sufficient in intelligence, communication and also earth-sighting satellites. We also have strong cooperation with them. If the government had not called us crazy and had worked together with us a while back we would have been at the level where Nigeria is at the moment. This level we have now is not bad at all and we got here in ten years. We developed five strategies and we are waiting for the government to implement them. Within three years, Ethiopia will be self-sufficient in basic things such as a communication satellite. Currently, Ethiopia uses satellites by renting it from different countries. The main point is not, having a satellite or not since it is easy to have a satellite; rather it is having the mind capable of controlling the satellites.

What about you? People know you as a politician and how do they see you now when you are diverting your attention to this new field?

I was told to my face that I am a crazy man who is walking naked (smiles). I don’t think there is anything more than that. This means nobody could listen to you but rather mock you. My colleagues have said that to me and also many people. We were able to win that. Now all that is ancient history, and our cause seems to have gained legitimacy when we presented it to the parliament and also to the regional offices. Our first job was to let them know that it is not a luxury but something we can use. The difference between the developed countries and us is not using or not using, rather we use it but we don’t recognize it. After leaving the government office, almost my full time job is here. The difference I found out is in the developed countries the policymakers and the elite (educated) ones work closely, they know the necessities. They allocate the budget and they are very sure of that. When they use these technologies they explore the potential to the fullest extent but in our case we use a small portion. When they use it they use their institution and their knowledge but in our case we use it but we use their institution, and their knowledge. For example, the Ministry of Education has more than ten channels and they pay millions of dollars to international companies. The developed countries contributed to the enrichment of space science technology but our contribution is very minimal or non-existent to the growth of international space science. Some say there is nothing we can contribute to science; I say our educated ones are going to those countries and, after giving them some trainings, the developed countries’ companies hire them. That, in my opinion, is a contribution. Whether people live in urban or rural area, they use the contribution of space science technology. Many people think the investment for this technology is very expensive, but I will say that is only a rumor. The expensive ones are those used by America, China and those countries in deep space science and in the international space station. This station costs around 80 billion dollars. It is run by the contribution of 20 countries. For example, Nigeria’s cost for the three satellites and for trainings was around 40 million pounds. I went out there and did my research in Nigeria and they are very cooperative. With the benefit it is giving, 40 million is nothing and we pay a lot of money for the rent of the satellites anyway. When I first went there, there were many foreigners but after a few years, I saw those people replaced by Nigerians.

What is your position in the Space Science Society?

For the past ten years I was the president of the society and my deputy was Kemal Bedri. As per our regulation, which dictates that after serving for ten years one has to be replaced, I was replaced. So, even though I cannot vote, I am still on the board serving the society. When there are issues concerning policy, I represent the country. Otherwise, when it is a matter of the science, the other scientists represent the country.

After leaving the government office, how busy are you?

I am very busy and I devote my time to space science technology.