The murder of Simegnew Bekele, the project manager and chief engineer of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, has transformed one of the world’s biggest energy projects from a source of national pride and controversy into a focus of grief and dismay.

Bekele, 53, was employed by the government and was the national face of the project. He had become popular in Ethiopia. He was found dead in a car on July 26 in Addis Ababa as he was preparing to provide updates about the project.