Zemene Kassie
Zemene Kassie | |
|---|---|
| ዘመነ ካሴ | |
| Chairman of the Amhara Fano National Movement | |
| Assumed office 17 January 2026 | |
| Deputy | Meketaw Mamo |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Chairman of the West Amhara (Tewodros) command of the Amhara Fano National Force (AFNF) | |
| In office 9 May 2025 – 17 January 2026 | |
| Leader of Amhara Fano, Gojjam Command | |
| In office 9 April 2023 – 9 May 2025 | |
| Chairman of Amhara Youth Association | |
| In office 10 September 2018 – 1 January 2023 | |
| Spokesperson of Patriotic Ginbot 7 | |
| In office 10 September 2013 – 1 January 2017 | |
| President of Amhara Region Youth League | |
| In office 1 September 2011 – 1 September 2013 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 March 1985 |
| Party | Ginbot 7 (2013–2016) |
| Alma mater | Haramaya University (BA) Ethiopian Civil Service University (MSc) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | Fano |
| Service years | 2018–2026 |
| Commands | Gojjam Fano Command |
| Conflicts | Tigray War War in Amhara |
Zemene Kassie (Amharic: ዘመነ ካሴ; born 14 March 1985) is an Ethiopian politician who is the chairman of the Amhara Fano National Movement (AFNM) since 2026. He was the former leader of the Amhara Fano militia, Gojjam command. He is widely regarded as one of the prominent figures of the new Amhara nationalism.
Born in Merawi, near Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, Zemene previously worked in various government positions in the early-2010s. Following disagreements with EPRDF's regional leaders in Amhara, he was forced into exile to Eritrea and joined the Ginbot 7 opposition group in order to counter EPRDF government persecution. He then returned to Ethiopia in 2018 after premiership of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and worked in organizing Amhara youth for political actions in Ethiopia.
Zemene organized a Fano faction under the banner of Amhara Popular Force during the Tigray War when Tigrayan rebel forces invaded the Amhara region in mid-2021. It was during the Tigray War that he rose to prominence as a leading figure in the Fano militia.