By: Fistum Getachew 

During the past two three years we have observed the transformation of our cities beginning with Addis Ababa. We know that few cities in the country are products of meticulous planning and some have even been constructed haphazardly without even the potential of growing or expanding. This is true of Addis as well even if there have been a few master plans to rectify what may have been mistaken in the way the city was to expand with the necessary infrastructure. What seemed to have initiated to renew only the central parts of Addis turned to be all encompassing by changing neigbourhoods by phases. Residents of Addis seemed to be confused with what the City Council was going to do when the first demolitions of central parts of shops that were too close to the main streets. People began to be very anxious about what next. There were various speculations as to what moves the City Council would take.  

In the meantime, the City Council was gathering the residents that would be directly affected by the redevelopment project to inform them well about the project it was about to carry out. Thousands of residents who lived in the shanty neighbourhoods of Piazza and Kazanchis were gathered by the City Mayor and were given substantial explanation about the plans of the administration. Heated discussions were held and there were questions and answers were carried out between the mayor and other high officials of the City Council and the residents.

They were informed that they would be given alternative and compensation for eventual losses. Enough time was given to them to be psychologically ready to embark upon new life probably in new neighbourhoods but together with their neighbours so that the social fabric of the residents is not demolished with the redevelopment of the quarters.

The City Council said that the renovation of Addis would be carried out in phases. It said there was a plan well defined and studied to totally transform the city. It called for the patience of the residents telling them that the process would last long and laborers would work 24/7 without any rest in multiple shifts and strict supervision and follow up.   

Soon the city was full of labourers working without interruption; many contractors were included and while the demolitions were very fast, the redevelopment was also equally fast. People were amazed by the development of a new culture of working around the clock. Thousands of youths were engaged in the project.

In a few months the city was having a new face to the amazement of both nationals as well as foreigners who had some acquaintance with the city. All those who were approached by journalists to give their impression about what they felt about the Corridor Development Project, they all expressed their admiration to the government and City Council for their remarkable initiative. Many remarked that it was high time that Addis and practically all the cities of Ethiopia needed some sort of redevelopment commensurate with the emerging needs of their residents and that was the mandate of the city councils which run the affairs of the cities.

However, residents never expected the magnitude of the changes and the velocity with which the renovation was being made. They however said that they were displaced and confused when they tried to identify the former old neighbourhoods. Even local residents could not very easily direct themselves in certain parts such as Kazanchis, Piazza and even Bole. Thousands of kiosks and small shops which were congested near the main avenues of the city were demolished and the replacements were constructed deeper in the city away from the main avenues leaving a large space covered by garden and greenery. Palm trees were planted while the streets were furnished with new electric poles with bright bulbs to brighten the streets with light. The sidewalks were very large both for pedestrians as well as lanes for bicycles exclusively. The sidewalks were also furnished with special passages for people with disabilities.

Along with the redevelopment of the city there were also the activities related to the Riverside Project. It is known that there are a few rivers and rivulets crossing Addis. These canals of water were never cleaned as people have used them as a kind of sewerage system where they dumped their garbage and even joined them to their toilets polluting the water extremely that emits foul odour for anyone who happens to live nearby or even pass near. This has always provoked discomfort to residents with their health affected. When the plan of the river side project was launched residents jumped with immense joy. Finally they were going to be relieved of the foul smell of the rivers.

The riverside project is an ambitious plan aimed to cleaning up the rivers of Addis of all their dirt and furnish them with green area around them with asphalt roads nearby. Along the riverside project are included recreation centers such as bars, restaurants and cafes with benches where to sit and pass some time in leisure. The first of these riverside projects begin from around Entoto hills in the northern part of the city and extends up to the Bole area called Peacock Park. It is 21 km long and crosses many neighbourhoods of Addis. Such development is completely changing the face of the city giving it a brand new, clean and fresh image.