- Meles Zenawi dies of an unspecified infection, Ethiopian state media reports
- Zenawi had not appeared in public since June
- A government spokesman said last week Zenawi was recovering after treatment
- The spokesman declined to specify Zenawi's location or the nature of his illness
(CNN) -- Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has died, state television reported Tuesday, ending weeks of speculation about his whereabouts and state of health.
The television station said Zenawi died late Monday from an unspecified infection. Deputy Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn is now in charge, the station said.
The news came almost a week after a government spokesman said Zenawi was "recovering well" from treatment for an unspecified illness.
The usually visible leader has not appeared in public for two months.
Zenawi, 57, came to power two decades ago and was considered a strong force in the frequently volatile Horn of Africa.
The secretive nation had released little information about his whereabouts, prompting rumors and opposition claims that he was dead or facing a life-threatening illness.
The government held a news conference last month and announced Zenawi received treatment for an unspecified illness.
He was "recovering well, resting and performing his duties as prime minister and head of state," government spokesman Bereket Simon reiterated last week. He declined to give exact details on Zenawi's whereabouts or the nature of his illness.
Zenawi's absence had been a hot topic in the nation, with bloggers launching a counter of the number of days he's been missing. Citizens took to social media to discuss his whereabouts and exchange conspiracy theories.
Zenawi's absence was more evident last month when Ethiopia hosted an African Union summit in its capital of Addis Ababa. Zenawi, a key player in talks on the tensions between Sudan and its rival neighbor South Sudan, did not attend.
Ethiopia, which is a key Western ally often lauded for effective use of aid money, is surrounded by unstable nations such as Somalia and Sudan. Zenawi has been credited with working toward peace and security in the region.
The Ethiopian army has sent peacekeepers to battle Islamic extremist group Al-Shabaab in Somalia.
Zenawi, a former guerrilla leader, is part of a group that toppled dictator Haile Mengustu Mariam in 1991. The shrewd politician is credited with economic progress and maintaining peace in the nation surrounded by volatile countries.
However, human rights groups have accused his government of a heavy hand and a series of abuses, including limiting press freedoms and cracking down on opposition political parties.
Last year, Ethiopia found two Swedish journalists guilty of supporting terrorism and sentenced them to 11 years.
