A history of Sayilem district; at Kafa Zone 1941-2000

Abstract

This thesis is concerned with the history of the Sayilem District from 1941-2000. In the present time, this district is located in south western parts of Ethiopia in south western Ethiopia region in the Kafa Zone. The main purpose of this study is to document the major social, economic, and political transformations in the Sayilem district from 1941-2000. The year 1942 was demarcated in which the land found in Sayilem district was given to the wife Emperor Haile Selassie known as Etege Mennens government land and the year 2000 was demarcated as this district gained its current administrative structure by separating from Gesha district. In dealing with the subject, the researcher has attempted to collect and utilize the available archival materials, letters, published and unpublished works like articles, thesis, and dissertation as well as oral information collected from selected informants. Based on the collected sources, the present study attempted to assess when and how the district was formed, and in what way the people of Kaficho made a settlement in this district. After the consolidation of Emperor Haile Selassie his throne in 1941 the thesis assesses the major administrative feature of this district up to the end of 1974. During the Derig period, there was better socio-economic development in the district. Various proclamations were vested in this area like, the nationalization of urban land and the extra house being the major one. But the other proclamation like Villagization and resettlement was taken by the people of Sayilem. In this study there are various changes and continuity in the socio-cultural were examined by the researcher well enough. Researchers believe that historical reconstruction will fill the gap of a missing element in the reconstruction of Ethiopia's history and serve as a base for future study.