Birtukan Mideksa (also spelled Birtukan Midekssa; Ge'ez: ብርቱካን ሚደቅሳ; born ) is an Ethiopian politician and former judge who, as of November , is the Chairperson of the National Election Board of Ethiopia. She was the founder and leader of the opposition party, the Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) party from to
Birtukan Mideksa was born in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. She attended Miazia 23 missionary elementary school and later the Yekatit 12 secondary school also known as Etege Menen School. After graduating from high school, she attended Addis Ababa University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.). In , Birtukan received Master of Art (M.A.) in Public Administration from Harvard University. She is the mother of a daughter named Haale Mideksa who was born in
Birtukan started her career as associate judge. Later she was appointed to be a judge at the 3rd district court of the federal first instant court. In July , she presided over a high-profile case of the former top ranking official of TPLF and Ministry of Defense (Ethiopia) Siye A
Ethiopia: One woman’s journey from political prisoner to pioneer for dialogue
Birtukan Mideksa is not the kind of person to shy away from a challenge. As one of Ethiopia’s most high-profile political prisoners, she spent years behind bars in the s, determined to stay true to her values and beliefs even under the toughest of circumstances.
Today, her challenge is helping to build and sustain a functioning multi-party democracy in Ethiopia as head of the National Election Board – and she is looking forward to the task with her customary optimism and determination.
A passion for democracy
“Along with my colleagues, we are trying to introduce reforms in many levels of our electoral process,” she says. “We have achieved certain milestones, but we still need to do more.”
Visiting The Hague recently with other National Election Board members on a fact-finding mission organized by NIMD, Birtukan spoke about the values that have guided her since she was a young woman from a modest background starting her career in law in the s.
“My passion for democracy came from my studies and from the early days of my career when I was fortunate to join the judiciary,” she explains.
Jailed but not forgotten: Ethiopia&#;s most famous prisoner (Guardian)
Published by Tadias MagazineJanuary 8th, in News.5 CommentsAbove: Almaz Gebregziabher and her granddaughter, Halley,
hold a photograph of Halley’s mother, Birtukan Mideksa, who
has been likened to Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi in her fight for
democracy. (Photograph: Xan Rice)
Guardian
Xan Rice in Addis Ababa
Saturday 9 January
At noon every Sunday an old Toyota sedan donated by supporters of Ethiopia&#;s most famous prisoner pulls up near a jail on the outskirts of the capital. A year-old woman in a white shawl and her four-year-old granddaughter – the only outsiders the prisoner is allowed to see – step out for a minute visit. Most inmates at Kaliti prison want their relatives to buy them food. But Birtukan Mideksa, the year-old leader of the country&#;s main opposition party, always asks her mother and daughter to bring books: an anthology titled The Power of Non-Violence, Bertrand Russell&#;s Best, and the memoirs of Gandhi, Barack Obama, and Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese political prisoner to whom she has been compared. Read more.
Birtukan Mideksa: Ethiopia's electoral board chairperson
A former political prisoner who went into exile in the US, Birtukan Mideksa is now centre-stage in Ethiopia as she oversees the country's first parliamentary election since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took office in on a pledge to end decades of authoritarian rule.
Recommending Ms Birtukan, 47, to the all-important post of chairperson of the electoral board, the new premier described her as someone who would "never surrender, even to the government".
Many agreed with that sentiment as she had built a reputation for being brave and independent-minded as a lawyer, judge and politician.
Ms Birtukan contested the parliamentary election as an independent, but lost to the candidate of the ruling coalition, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), conceding that her defeat was due to her "limited popularity" rather than rigging.
She then became a judge, catching the attention of the public a year later when she resisted political interference in the judiciary by ordering the release of former Defence Minister Siye Abraha. His arrest on corruption charges was seen as
Biographies you may also like
Lyxen diomampo biography of barack Lyxen Diomampo is a social media influencer, educator, and professional model residing in the Philippines. She is well-known for being Benjie Paras’s wife, a basketball player Missing: barack.
Moll anderson biography of mahatma gandhi Revered the world over for his nonviolent philosophy of passive resistance, Missing: moll anderson.
Dian sawyer biography Diane Sawyer was born on 22 December in Glasgow, Kentucky, USA. She is a writer and actress, known for ABC World News Tonight with David Muir (), 20/20 () and .
Brousse brebis biography Vous voulez connaître le prix de ce produit? A consommer en l'état ou à cuisiner. Fromage à pâte lactique. Pérail. France. Ingrédients: LAIT* de brebis thermisé, sel, présure, ferments.
Inge jacobsen biography of williams As the creator of a large number of well-realized, though ordinary men, women, and children, Inge has portrayed the fortunes and misfortunes of their domestic lives with integrity and .
Karaoke khaled a zia biography In after the overthrow of the military regime led by General Ershad, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) got a landslide victory in a general election held in .
Muhammad ali biography facts records Muhammad Ali was a charismatic and fearless boxing legend who fascinated the world with his unmatched skills in the ring and unwavering commitment to social justice.
Oo howard autobiography definition Autobiography of Oliver Otis Howard, Major-General, United States Army; Volume 2. Skip to main Delivering to Nashville Update location Books. Select the Missing: oo howard · definition.