Addis Fortune (Addis Ababa)
Wudineh Zenebe
10 November 2008
The Oromia Regional State has established a new Special Zone to administer the eight small towns around the territories of the Addis Abeba City Administration. The towns, which used to be administered under different zones of Oromia, have now come under a single administration. The chief purpose of this move is to strategize and smooth the relations between Addis Abeba and Oromia to ensure mutual economic benefits.
Accordingly, the master plans for the eight towns will be revised in a bid to integrate them with that of Addis Abeba.
For instance, designated green areas in the peripheries of Addis Abeba will have parellel areas in the towns across the boundary designated for the same purpose in the would be revised masterplans. The arrangement is also expected to resolve existing territorial disputes between Addis Abeba and the towns, a cabinet member of the Oromia Regional State told to Fortune.
The eight towns to be administered under the Special Zone are scattered along the five main gates to and from the capital in the range of 19Km to 48Km from the heart of the city.
To the east are Gelan (25Km), a locality which recently got town status, and the Industrial Zone of Dukem (37Km). To the south-west is Sebeta (24Km) and to the west along the Ambo Road is Burayu (20Km), a town known for its mutton production. The remaining towns are Sululta (24Km) and Chancho (48Km), located north of Addis Abeba. Legetafo (19Km), a town found on the way to Legedadi River and dam - a source of Addis Abeba's drinking water - and Sendafa (39Km).
Six other rural weredas also fall under the administration of the new zone.
Early last week, the Special Zone started securing staff for the office it opened off the Patriots Street in Gullele District of the metropolis.
Gelana Nureso, who, for the past five years served as Mayor of Welisso town located 116Km south west of Addis Abeba in Oromia Region, has been appointed head of the zone.
Subsequently, Gelana has already submitted his priorities for the Council of the Regional Government, according knowledgeable sources.
With a total area of 359,619.8Sqm, Oromia is the largest region in Ethiopia. The region has divided into nine administrative zones, which have just become 10 with the inclusion of the new Special Zone.
The establishment of the zone is expected to facilitate the delivery of resources and administrative cooperation the 54,000hct wide Addis Abeba needs from Oromia. The city, for example, gets its water resources from Oromia.
With the repletion of the Repi Waste Disposal Site, also called Koshie, the city has plans to construct a modern landfill in Bole Aramsa area, a site within the Oromia Region on the south-east end of the city.
In a reverse situation, Addis Abeba is the source of the small and big Akaki rivers. Polluted with industrial biproducts, chemicals and domestic wastes, both rivers flow into the territories of Oromia.
Establishing the Special Zone helps to maintain the good relations between the city and the town, and ensure that the interest of each side is respected, according to a cabinet member of the Addis Abeba City Administration.
"Rather than dealing with each town separately on different matters, which is costly in terms of time and resources, having a central body to deal with the city on behalf of them all is a better way," the cabinet member said.
Months back, construction of houses by 101 associations from Addis Abeba on sites located in Anfo Meda and Filadoro - areas claimed by both Burayu town of Oromia and Kolfe-Keranio District of Addis Abeba - were suspended following a dispute the two administrations had over the land.
Officials from both the City Government and Oromia hope the establishment of the Special Zone will help avoid such disputes beyond fostering development in the eight towns.
A top official at the Oromia Region told Fortune that his administration plans to connect the eight towns with a road network.
"The regional government aspires even beyond that," the official said.
The ruling EPRDF aims to create a single economic community.
Thus, the official wonders "Why the City Administration constructs condominium houses for its residents in the territories of Addis Abeba alone."
In fact, the Federal Government has already developed a plan following the growth of Addis Abeba's population and the subsequent lack of land.
This special arrangement is for such towns in Oromia, with areas bordering Addis Abeba, to handle the land request for industrial zones by the latter.
It is hoped the plan will contribute to the development of the towns by creating employment opportunities and thus contributing to poverty reduction. This plan also aims at creating a uniform development pattern between the city and the towns.
The Works and Urban Development Bureau of Oromia has taken the responsibility to revise the master plans of the eight towns and develop a new regional one.
"We are going to do this job in consultation with the City Government," an official from the bureau told Fortune.
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