The 2014 Addis Ababa Master Plan was a controversial plan to expand the boundaries of Ethiopian capital,

Addis Ababa Addis Ababa (; ,) is the capital city of Ethiopia, as well as the regional state of Oromia. With an estimated population of 2,739,551 inhabitants as of the 2007 census, it is the largest city in the country and the List of cities in Africa b ...

, by 1.1 million hectares into the

Oromia Special Zone Oromia (, ) is a regional state in Ethiopia and the homeland of the Oromo people. Under Article 49 of Ethiopian Constitution, the capital of Oromia is Addis Ababa, also called Finfinne. The provision of the article maintains special interest ...

in April 2014. The plan was met with protests, particularly in the

Oromia Region Oromia (, ) is a Regions of Ethiopia, regional state in Ethiopia and the homeland of the Oromo people. Under Article 49 of 1995 Constitution of Ethiopia, Ethiopian Constitution, the capital of Oromia is Addis Ababa, also called Finfinne. The ...

, with critics saying it would violate the 1995 Constitution.

Background

The

Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Finfinne The Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Finfinne () is a zone in Oromia Region of Ethiopia that surrounds Addis Ababa (also known as Finfine: literally "natural spring", in the Oromo language). It was created in 2008 from parts of North Shewa Zon ...

was established in 2008 from parts of several zones in

Oromia Oromia (, ) is a Regions of Ethiopia, regional state in Ethiopia and the homeland of the Oromo people. Under Article 49 of 1995 Constitution of Ethiopia, Ethiopian Constitution, the capital of Oromia is Addis Ababa, also called Finfinne. The ...

surrounding Addis Ababa. In 2011, Addis Ababa and the Oromia Special Zone established a joint project on common urban development issues, led by

Kuma Demeksa Kuma Demeksa (; born 1958) is an Ethiopian politician. Since 24 April 2015, he has been an Ethiopian ambassador to Germany. From 2008 to 2013 he was mayor of Addis Ababa; previous positions include President of the Oromia Region (1995–2001), a ...

. The Ethiopian government, at the time led by the

TPLF The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF; ), also known as the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front, is a left-wing ethnic nationalist, paramilitary group, and the former ruling party of Ethiopia. It was classified as a terrorist organization ...

, met with other stakeholders in

Adama Adama ( Oromo: ', Amharic: አዳማ), formerly Nazreth (), is one of the cities of Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Located in the East Shewa Zone southeast of the capital, Addis Ababa, the city sits between the base of an escarpment to the west, ...

in June 2013. They voiced their support for the project, claiming it was in Ethiopia's interest. The plan to expand the capital was done to accommodate the increasing demand for residential and commercial properties, because of a growing middle-class in Ethiopia. The integration of Addis Ababa and the Oromia Special Zone would violate the 1995 Constitution (which demarcated the capital from Oromia), and so it needed to be bypassed. By April 2014, the government was prepared to implement the Master Plan (which would seize surrounding town without consulting affected communities). This triggered protests from university students in Oromia, which were repressed by the government.

Protests

The proposed expansion of the boundaries of Addis Ababa ignited the

2014–2016 Oromo protests The 2014–2016 Oromo protests were a series of protests and resistance in Oromia which first sparked on 25 April 2014. The initial actions were taken in opposition to the 2014 Addis Ababa Master Plan, Addis Ababa Master Plan, and resumed on 12 ...

beginning on 25 April 2014; to which the government responded by shooting at and beating peaceful protesters. More widespread strikes and street protests resumed on 12 November 2015; largely led by students in Ginchi (located 80 km southwest of Addis Ababa and encircled by the Oromia region). Protests spread throughout 400 different locales across 17 zones of the Oromia region, and according to Amnesty International 800 of these protestors were killed. On 12 January 2016, after two months of protests, the

Oromo Democratic Party The Oromo Democratic Party (, ODP), formerly known as the Oromo People's Democratic Organization, was a political party in Ethiopia, and part of the alliance with the Amhara National Democratic Movement, the South Ethiopian Peoples' Democrati ...

said that the plan was “fully terminated” after extensive meetings with government officials who rejected it.

References

{{reflist Master Plan History of Oromia Political repression in Ethiopia Protests in Ethiopia City plans 2014 in Ethiopia April 2014 in Ethiopia Urban planning in Ethiopia

Background

Protests

See also

References