A History of Lemo Woreda of Southern Ethiopia 1941 to the present

Abstract The main aim of this thesis is to reconstruct the political, Socio-economic, Cultural and Religious history of Lemo woreda of Southern Ethiopia from 1941 to the present .The study covers the time from the liberation of Ethiopia and restoration of Emperor Haile Selassie I to power in 1941 until the removal of Derg government including the period of peace and security of TPLF /FDRE. The peoples of woredas like the other country side peoples of southern region experienced different socio-economic and political developments. This thesis also, begins with historical study of the district by revealing different developments in the woreda before the Italian occupation. The consolidation and restoration of the Haile Selassie’s old region and reforms that took place by the imperial government in various fields in connection with the administration and land related issues and the responses of the peoples of the woreda to these changes were the main area of concern. Besides this the study points out, the different administrative systems, the expansion of religion, socio-cultural practices and views on security problems in the district. Moreover, this thesis attempted to assess changes and development that the woreda had gone through during the military government and the period of peace and security of TPLF. The study although deals with the history of religion and religious practices in Lemo woreda from conquest of Menelik to the present. It explores the expansion, interaction and interrelationship among the religious, basing on qualitative analysis of oral traditions and critical examination of written sources in the Hadiya Zone. Different types of government systems have emerged in the country and as a result, these continuous changes have their own contribution for the socio-political and religious development in Lemo woreda and its peoples .Different archival sources in the district discard and burnt over changes of regimes, shortage of funds, reluctance of few informants along with the terrine irregularity to get them were Problems that the researcher experienced in attempt to come up with this work.