| Abstract: | The current accelerated growth of Addis Ababa has caused tension between the
favourable aspects of urban redevelopment, and the corresponding wake-up
calls against the risks of transforming various parts of the city into haphazard
‘concrete jungle’. I argue that there is role conflict in municipality authorities
that are entrusted with the power to lease out urban land, and at the same time
carry out the regulatory function of revising and implementing urban master
plans and providing municipal services. It is argued that the land provision
function of municipalities (and their corresponding interest in enhancing
revenue from lease) induces them to lease out urban land to the detriment of
green areas, neighborhood play fields, public parks, open spaces, riverbanks,
street alignments and adequate space for bus and taxi terminals (menaheria).
Such role conflict not only enhances administrative discretion and corruption,
but also weakens urban land holding security, represses municipal services and
adversely affects the propriety and effectiveness of urban plans. |
