Zelalem Tesfaye Sirna (Assistant Professor) earned his LL.B from Haramaya University, Ethiopia; an MPhil in Indigenous Studies from the University of Tromsø, Norway; and an LL.M in Commercial and Investment Law from Oromia State University, Ethiopia. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Peace and Security Studies at Addis Ababa University and a PhD in Law and Development at Bule Hora University. He has extensive experience in teaching, research, and community service across several Ethiopian universities. He previously served as Head of the School of Law at Dilla University and as Dean of the School of Law at Salale University, contributing significantly to institutional development and academic leadership. His research interests include legal pluralism, restorative environmental justice, transboundary water security, urban land governance, and indigenous institutions. He has published widely in reputable journals and has contributed book chapters and authored books in his areas of expertise. His work often explores the intersection between indigenous knowledge systems and contemporary legal and governance frameworks, with a focus on addressing pressing issues of sustainability, equity, and social justice. Currently, he serves as the Deputy Director of the Balzan PhD Fellowship at the Australian National University, where he is involved in advancing interdisciplinary research and supporting early-career scholars in restorative justice.

Most recent publications 

Sirna, Z. T. (2025). Taking Security Seriously in Transboundary Water Security Debates, Oromia Law Journal, Vol. 14. 

Sirna, Z. T. (2024). The Oromo Gadaa: Revisiting the African political philosophy. In: Beyond Mimicry: The Potential of African Endogenous Governance Systems, Moussa I.A and Holl, Augustin F.C (eds.). 

Sirna, Z. T., and Gutema, B. (2024). Finfinnee and Its Environs before the Establishment of Addis Ababa as the Empire’s Capital and the Subsequent Othering of the Oromo, In: Finfinnee, Past and Present: A Counter Hegemonic Discourse, Prof. Bekele Gutema (ed.), ORA. 

Sirna, Z. T. and Temesgen, E. Y. (2021). “Blood Feud in North Shawa: Exploring the Contradiction between the Customary and State Criminal Justice System, Haramaya Law Review, Vol. 9(1).

Sirna, Z. T. (2018) “Addis Ababa/Finfinnee: A Blueprint Towards Two-city Administrations”, Ethiopian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities. Vol. 12(1). 

Grants and prizes 2023-25

2025 UNITAFRICA Scholarship, University of Trento, Italy

2024 UN Women - Indigenous Dispute Resolution Mechanism - Trainer

2023-2025 Verije University – Oromia Alternative Dispute (ODA 2.0)  

2023-2024 Oromo Research Association, ORA – Research Fund

2023 Institute of Security Studies – South Africa – Transitional Justice Research Fund