By: Ahmed Mohammed
‘’Addis Ababa has awoken after several decade of asleep ’’ says journalist Raju Mohammed as he started off his take to the corridor development projects Addis Ababa is braving.
The tempo, if sustained, will soon turn the African capital into a smart city, the multilingual radio journalist foresaw Addis’s bright future, saluting efforts in place to make the African capital ‘aesthetically alluring, functional and hygienic.’
“The project has kept moving, transforming several parts of Addis into newfound shape, introducing the city with urban flavor and taste, further making Addis living up its name.” he told me as we strolled along the newly renovated streets.
‘’It’s like witnessing a cherished painting being restored, several of its pockets, once known for their slums and substandard buildings, now seen turned into green fields, public spaces and modern commercial hubs.’’
He slammed critics who accused planners of the redevelopment projects of damaging heritages, wondering if ages of buildings alone automatically renders old building eligible for heritage status?
He noted that some of the buildings were nearly falling apart even before the city kicked off the urban makeover. “I very well understand that no project is free of shortcomings,”
Several anthropologists and engineers, who he knows Addis Ababa’s inner city for several years, are in support of the redevelopment “There’s no doubt the area needed renovation.”
Some parts of Addis were built in the 1880s, sadly without a master plan and most part of its inner cities have suffered old ages with many people clustered and packed under shabby houses, denying with access to clean water ,among others.
‘’Only all-inclusive redevelopment projects of such kind would help Addis shake off its old and indecent urban settlement “the journalist further elaborated his remarks referring similar international experiences.
You can’t climb mountain without taking the first step, urban development take extra care ,energy , yet it is not free of criticism as it does everywhere else in the world .“ Raju also stressed.
The projects have created thousands of jobs, will stimulate the tourism and the hotel industry ‘he further spoke of bonanzas the redevelopment project is offering, adding its role to tackle inherited problems.