Addis Ababa demolition drive clears historic commercial hubs for private redevelopment
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Municipal demolition directives in central Addis Ababa are clearing historic markets and residential neighbourhoods to make way for private real estate development, with residents and traders reporting verbal vacate notices.
Across central Addis Ababa, shopkeepers are closing storefronts and families are packing belongings as city directives clear out some of the capital's most historic neighbourhoods for commercial redevelopment.
Residents across several central districts report receiving verbal notices to vacate their properties following land allocations to private developer Temer Real Estate. Under the verbal instructions issued by municipal representatives, families with independent financial means are expected to secure alternative housing immediately, while low-income tenants have been promised temporary shelter.
The clearing operations span an extensive area across administrative Kebeles 32, 33, 34, 42, 45 and 47. Heavy machinery has already levelled Kebeles 31 and 44, while demolition crews prepare to move into major commercial markets including Berbere Tera, Gojjam Berenda, American Gibi, Teklehaimanot and Somali Tera.
The affected perimeter extends into residential pockets and commercial lanes across Gola Sefer, Shanta Sefer, Harar Pension, Tikur Anbessa, Amsistagna, Pension Sefer and Police Sefer. Traders in Berbere Tera and Somali Tera, hubs that have anchored wholesale spice, grain and dry-goods trade across the region for generations, say the sudden clearing directives threaten their businesses.
The current push marks the latest phase of the Addis Ababa City Administration's broader urban renewal and corridor development programme, which officials say is necessary to overhaul aging infrastructure, expand major roadways and attract private real estate investment. Critics note the programme has already displaced hundreds of thousands of residents.
The clearance of historic quarters such as Gojjam Berenda, American Gibi and Teklehaimanot, whose buildings date from the early to mid-twentieth century, has also sparked alarm among cultural preservationists. Traders and residents facing displacement are urging municipal authorities to review the plans.