Negasso Gidada

Negasso Gidada (. Oromo: Nagaaso Gidaadaa in äthiop font: ነጋሶ ጊዳዳ; born September 8, 1943 in Dembi Dolo, West Wollega, today in the Oromia region ) is an Ethiopian politician. He was 1995-2001 president of the country, today he is active in the opposition. Negasso Gidada belongs to the Oromo, the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia.

Curriculum vitae

Negasso Gidada attended primary school in Dembi Dolo and later high schools in Nazret / Adama and Addis Ababa. Between 1967 and 1971, he studied history at the Haile Selassie I University in Addis - Ababa. He completed his university studies with a master's degree (Master) in history and worked for three years as a teacher and headmaster in western Ethiopia.

In October 1974 he went into exile in Germany. During his stay there, he held several positions and has taken on numerous tasks. From 1983 to 1985 taught as a university teacher, the language of the Oromo. He received his PhD in Anthropology and in 1985 director of the Third World Centre in Frankfurt am Main. He was from 1976 to 1981, among others, Secretary, Editor and Chairman of all Oromo Students in Europe. From 1979 to 1981 he was a member and representative of the Oromo Liberation Front in Europe. From 1986 to 1991 he served as editor Gidada, secretary and chairman of the union of all Oromo in Europe.

He became a member of the Democratic organization of Oromovolkes ( OPDO ) and thus a member of the Coalition of the Revolutionary Democratic Front of the Ethiopian Peoples, which was founded in 1991 in 1989. Dr. Gidada returned in the summer of 1991 back to Ethiopia and became a member of the Central Committee of the OPDO. He was appointed Minister of Labour and Social Affairs. In this office he remained until 1992. During the transitional government, he was minister of information, until he became president on 22 August 1995. As such, he was the successor of Meles Zenawi, in turn, became prime minister on 22 August 1995.

Negasso Gidada held the largely symbolic presidency until the end of his term on October 8, 2001.

Dr. Negasso Gidada is married for the second time. He has two children from his first marriage and an adopted daughter with his second wife brought into the marriage.

In the parliamentary elections in Ethiopia in 2005 Negasso Gidada was elected as an independent candidate in the People's House of Representatives in the constituency Dembi Dolo. In November 2009, he announced that he had joined the opposition party unity for democracy and justice.