8. Mengistu Haile Mariam
Mengistu Haile Mariam was president of Ethiopia from 1987 to 1991. He was a bold leader who helped overthrow the monarchy and attempted to institute communism in Ethiopia. He effectively crushed the opposition and declared total war against the revolution and the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party. To show his conviction, he smashed three bottles filled with blood at an introductory speech he gave. His initiatives saw the blood of thousands of those who resisted on the streets. He even taxed the families requesting for the bodies of their loved ones. About 1.5 million people lost their lives during his presidency.
