Ethiopia: WHO chief hopeful profiteering from tomato pests

Tedros Adhanom

ESAT News  (March 21, 2017)

Ethiopia’s former foreign minister, who is running for the top post at WHO, Tedros Adhanom, is reportedly profiteering from his tomato farm as pests destroyed other vegetable farms in the country.

An unusual tomato disease destroyed tomato farms across the country, save Dr. Tedros’ horticulture, driving prices of tomatoes to skyrocket. As a result, a kiligram of tomato from Tedros’ farm is being sold at 45 Ethiopian Birr (2 USD)  in the capital Addis Ababa.

Dr. Tedros is reportedly the only importer of tomato pesticides in the country, making his business profit both from the spread of the disease and the resulting shortage of tomatoes.

As a member of the ruling clique, Dr. Tedros has unfettered access to land and preferential business deals making him the sole exporter of tomatoes and importer of the pesticide.

Sources close to ESAT say Dr. Tedros’ tomato farm, called “East Africa” sales upto 300,000 birr (15,000 USD) per day while the price of a liter of the pesticide is 24,000 birr (1100 dollars).

The former foreign minister is running for the WHO top position despite records of misappropriation of malaria and TB funds when he was the minister of health.

His critics say that his embarrassing performance at the first round interview by the WHO executives was a clear sign of his incompetence. Ethiopian activists are campaigning against his candidacy accusing him of  representing a corrupt and brutal minority regime committing torture, mass arrests and extrajudicial killings.