Addis Abeba — The Oromia regional government has announced major restructuring and merger of cities and creation of new zonal administration under the name "North Borana" to foster urban development and tackle problems related to service provision.
The region's communications bureau said in a statement that the decision was made during a regular meeting of Caffee Oromia (regional parliament) on Monday.
Accordingly Bishoftu city would be merged with neighboring Dukem, Hidi, Ude Dhankaka and Dirre towns and restructured into three sub-cities and 10 city-districts. Shashemene would be merged with Bishan Guracha and restructured into four sub-cities and 12 city-districts. Adama would be merged with Wonji and restructured into six sub-cities and 19 city-districts.
Robe would be merged with Goba and restructured into three sub-cities and 12 city-districts. Haramaya, Awedayand Adelle cities would be merged under a name Maya city and restructured into three sub-cities and 12 city-districts. Batu and Adami Tullu cities would be merged and restructured into 7 Kebeles.
Apart from the restructuring, Adama, Shashemene and Bishoftu cities were upgraded to regiopolis, Robe and Maya cities were upgraded to major cities, whereas nine cities namely Metu, Agaro, Bule Hora, Najjo, Sandafa Bakke, Dodola, Shano, Moyale and Shakiso were upgraded to higher cities and made to be administered directly under the auspices of the regional government.
According to the statement, the restructuring was made to make the cities fully exploit their development opportunities, and to boost capacities of cities as development corridors and make them have a leading role in the overall development of districts encircling them.
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Furthermore, a new zone named "East Borana" has been created comprising 10 districts formerly under the Borana, Guji and Bale zones. Nagelle Borena, the administrative capital of Guji zone becomes the seat of the newly formed East Borena zone, whereas the Guji zone administration would be based in Adola Rede.
Mada Walabu district, which was formerly in Bale zone and now placed under the East Borana zone, would be split into two, creating a new district called Oborso, while Chinaksan district along Oromia-Somali border, which sees frequent communal violence, is also split into two districts creating a new district called Makanisa Oromo.
The restructuring and merger of major cities in the region and the creation of additional zonal and district administrative units, came in the backdrop of the establishment of Shaggar city which encircles the capital Addis Abeba, having comprising towns like Burayu, Sululta, Laga Tafo-Laga Dadhi, Galan and Sebeta and some villages in neighboring districts of Addis Abeba such as Welmara, Sululta, Barak, Akaki and Sebeta Hawas.
The establishment of the Shaggar City had faced protests by residents whose villages were excluded from the city's structuring. AS
