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CHAPTER THREE
3. THE REGIONAL CONTEXT: FINFINE (ADDIS ABABA)
REGIONAL METROPOLITAN SYSTEM
3.1. Introduction
This chapter presents the broader context of the study area from the regional scale to the
local level circumstances. The study of fringe areas surrounding a city requires an understanding
of spatial relations between the broader metropolitan region containing the core city and the
fringe zones. In this connection in order to have clearer understanding about the geographical
setting and relationships between the three spatial units (i.e. metropolitan region of Finfine
[Addis Ababa) , the Finfine (Addis Ababa) city proper and the SZOSF as fringe area]. Because
there is a strong geographical and historical affiliation between Finfine city and the surrounding
areas, more attention is given to how the city and the fringe areas were in interaction and
developments underway in the contemporary urbanization and investment development scenario
of an expanding Finfine city to the SZOSF.
3.2. History of Urbanization and Origin of Towns in Ethiopia: An Overview
Ethiopia has long history of urbanization despite lack of permanent city until the
foundation and final consolidation of the rulers at Finfine (Addis Ababa) in 1887.There were
significant towns established in the then Ethiopian Empire (Abyssynia) like the oldest cities of
Axum, Gondar, Asmara in the northern part. Archaeological and historical evidences witness the
existence of towns since the Axumite period. The birth of a number of important earlier
Abyssinian towns Axum, Gondar and Asmara was attributed to political and commercial
situations in the northern Ethiopia during those days.
85
Ezana (2013) quoting Mesfin (1976) explains that the process of urban development in
Ethiopian is known for its extremely slow and sporadic progress. This is in part a result of the
fact that pre-twentieth century Ethiopian urbanization was intimately linked with political
capitals. After the abandonment of Aksum as a capital, Ethiopian kings have for centuries
practiced a tradition of roving capitals because of political, military, and environmental reasons.
Menilik’s decision to make Finfine (Addis Ababa) a permanent capital represented an end to this
longstanding practice.
According to R.J Horvath (1966) who studied the role of small towns around the capital,
urbanization in Ethiopia has undergone fundamental metamorphosis during the twentieth
century. A system of towns existed in the historic Ethiopia whose establishment and functions
were quite different from the towns we observe today. Sixty years back a study conducted by
Messing (1957) showed that the towns in the northern Ethiopia had their origin within the feudal
social organization of the Amhara society where as the southern towns were trading centres.
The Italians promoted urbanism significantly by founding towns and expanding the
economic base of the existing towns. After the departure of Italians towns were founded and
grew at unprecedented rate. The towns in the southern Ethiopia served as important commercial,
and political centres, most of them were therefore, the result of politico-military development of
the Emperor. As one of the ‘southern’ towns, Finfine (Addis Ababa) fundamentally owes its
growth to these developments.
However, regarding the impetus for urbanization in Ethiopia, Getahun (2000) asserted that
there is a continuous debate among scholars of Ethiopia on whether urbanization in Ethiopia was
the result of Menelik’s conquest or the result of local social, economic and cultural dynamics
which impacted the growth of towns. The debate focus on whether urban growth during the
period was attributed to internal developments or external factors. Getahun in his paper entitled
‘A History of Addis Ababa from Its Foundation in 1886 to 1910 (2000)’ has revealed that even if
these two debating cases existed, recent research has clearly supported the fact that pre-existing
86
social, economic and cultural factors in the conquered regions made significant contribution to
the evolution of Menelik’s garrison in to towns. It was in this fashion that Finfine emerged from
a small settlement grown to one of the biggest metropolis in Africa.
Horvath divided the evolution of towns in Ethiopia into three periods the classification
which largely portrays the functional bases of the towns. The pre-Italian period (the period
covers long time before the Italian Occupation of Ethiopia i.e., before 1936). The second period
is the period of Italian Occupation of Ethiopia (1936-1941). The third period is the post-Italian
occupation, which means from 1941 onwards.
During the first period i.e., before the 1936, the majority of the towns in the country were
formed by the military occupation of the internal power, Menelik. After the foundation of Finfine
(Addis Ababa) as a city, which took geographic advantage being centrally located in the heart of
both the former Abyssinian and the newly incorporated southern Ethiopian territory, there
emerged towns like Holota Gannat which are located closer to the seat of the Emperor. The
Emperor has been using the nearby towns and rural areas as a source of resources to depend on.
Around 1915 the nuclei of four towns were established by the company building Addis Ababa –
Djibouti railroad. Kaliti, Akaki, Galan, Dukam stations were established along the railroad and
were located in the closer distance from Finfine (Addis Ababa). These towns existed till today
though their growth is not as such highly appreciated (Horvath 1966). Towns like Harar, Dire
Dawa, Bonga and Jimma were among the oldest towns in the ‘southern’ region even before the
conquest of Menelik.
Finfine (Addis Ababa) was a small village when it was occupied by Menelik in the 1886. It
grew up to metropolitan centre passing through different phases of growth. Establishment of the
city did not follow any conscious urban planning, rather it reflected the pattern of the traditional
military camp, and the nobles were granted land on strategic hilltops of the city that encouraged
clustering around the nobles’ compounds (Ezana, 2013).
87
Figure 3.1: Finfine (Addis Ababa) in 1900: A “Collection of villages” that was capital of An
Empire
Source: Eduardon Byrono
3.3. A Retrospective Study of Finfine (Addis Ababa)
3.3.1. The Founding of the city
The city was established in 1887 when Menelik moved his palace from Entoto to the hill
around the hot springs in the Finfine. Menelik’s occupation of Finfine was not a sudden decision
rather it was a long time ambition of his predecessors to colonize the Oromo in Shawa whose
centre is Finfine. The history of Finfine (Addis Ababa) reflects the manner the Oromo people
were conquered, robbed off their land and properties, reduced to serfs and slaves, and kept under
inhuman subjugation. Prior to colonization of Oromia by the domestic colonizers of the then
feudal Amharas, the present day Addis Ababa had an Oromo name – Finfine. Even if they tried
much to destroy the name and the history the Oromo community retained it till today. The name
attests the abundance of hot springs (“Hora Finfinnee” in Afaan Oromo) at the heart of the city,
where cattle flourished. The area was solely inhabited by Oromo clans of Gulale, Eekka, Galan,
Abbichu and was divided into twelve counties or districts: Each district was being administered
by the local clan chiefs: like Tufa Muna and Dula Harra’and others, Jima Jatani, Guto Wasarbi,
Jima Tikse, Abeebe Tufa, Waree Golole, Tufa Araddo and Mojo Boxora (Tarekegn 2004).
88
Figure 3.2: ‘Hora Finfinnee’ (Hot springs of Finfine), 1900
Source: Re-extracted from Mikyas T.A (2011)
During the late 18th
and early 19th
century, the neighbouring Amhara community were
wedging continuous predatory raids and looting expeditions against the Oromo people. Some of
these brutal raids were documented by Major W. C. Harris a British diplomatic mission in his
book "The Highlands of Aethiopia (1844)". In one of his vivid description Harris wrote as
follows;
…rolling on like the mighty waves of the ocean, down poured the Amhara host among the
rich glades and rural hamlets, at the heels of the flying inhabitants—tramping underfoot the
fields of the ripening corn, and sweeping before them the vast herds of cattle which grazed
untended in every direction. When far beyond the range of vision, their destructive progress
was still marked by the red flames that burst forth in turn from the thatched roofs of each
village... they poured impetuously down the steep side of the mountain, and swept across the
level …the troops, animated by the presence of the monarch, now performed their bloody
work with a sharp and unsparing knife—firing village after village until the air was dark with
their smoke mingled with the dust raised by the impetuous rush of man and horse. The
89
unfortunate inhabitants, taken by surprise, had barely time but to abandon their property, and
fly [flee] for their lives…The spear of the warrior searched every bush for the hunted foe.
Women and girls were torn from their hiding to be hurried into helpless captivity Old men
and young were indiscriminately slain and mutilated among the fields and groves; flocks and
herds were driven off in triumph, and house after house was sacked and consigned to the
flames (Major W.C Harris quoted in Tarekegn, 2004).
The Oromo land was distributed among royal family, the church and the military personnel
and the Oromo were forced to serve them as serfs on their own land. At the height of Haile
Selassie’s regime, the royal family and the nobility owned over 50% of Oromo land and 33%
belonged to the Ethiopian Orthodox church (Tarekegn, 2004). The author further explains that
such acts continued albeit at differing degrees by all the successive leaders of that country against
the indigenous people that fell under their repressive rule. Sahle Selasie, Haile Melekot, Menilik
and those after Menilik all committed this similar inhuman deed against Oromo people in
Finfine. Sources indicate that King Sahle Selassie once had prophesized that “at this place
[Finfine/Addis Ababa] my children’s children will reign” (Mirror of Addis Ababa 1942).
Menelik, Sahle Selassi’s grand son was able to do [occupied the Oromo land of Finfine and its
surroundings] what Sahle Selasie failed to accomplish (Mekuria, 2013).
One of the surprising things in the history of foundation of Finfine as a city is the fact that
many non-Oromo Ethiopian writers are refraining from writing the genuine history of the Oromo
- Finfine relations before Menelik and his wife, Tayitu, took over the Oromo land. Even
historians who are thought to write historical facts are undermining the genocide made to the
indigenous Oromo community who had lived in Finfine .Therefore, many of the sources about
the founding history of Finfine is depended on account left by foreign observers and writers of
the day (such as Peter P. Garretson, Richard Pankhurst, Ronald J. Horvath, Major W.C. Harris
and others). Many of the non - Oromo scholars in Ethiopia are not interested to write about this
fact nor they are interested to see the name ‘Finfine’ written representing the native name of the
present ‘Addis Ababa’. But it is difficult to deny historical reality and, thus contemporary Oromo
90
writers bear the responsibility of uncovering some of the realties and restore some lost historical
facts names and native names of places through researching. It is in such cases that geography
and history strongly wed in order to narrate the implications of historical changes on the current
developments. How many of us know that including the name of the metropolitan city which was
changed from Finfine to Addis Ababa and all the district names of the city are having native
Oromo names?
3.3.2. Spatio - Temporal Growth Trend of the city
Like any other cities of the world the emergence and growth of Finfine city has passed
through development phases. Finfine (Addis Ababa) has started as a military camp. In 1887
Menelik, conqueror of the Oromo land, Finfine, a historical, social, cultural centre of the Oromo
community from the remote past, allocated all the land surrounding his new settlement after
displacing the indigenous community, to his personal accomplices and the rest of the land of the
then existing boundary to his officials and their unknown number of ‘Naftagnas’, but
occasionally to group of servants and soldiers (sources indicate that there were 31 ‘Rases’ and a
number of ‘Dejazmaches’ who were higher officials who deserved land). The structure and
layout of Finfine (Addis Ababa) was characterized by centrally located palace encircled by the
ruling elites and military officials.
The following section presents an overview of historical development of the city of Finfine
in a chronological outline of events which laid a foundation for the later developments (1887 –
2000). The early development period that took place from 1887 to 1936 is known for its
fragmented, haphazard and extended settlements of military camps and the landlords’ occupation
of large compound as localities (‘sefer’). The extended area was between Gulale and Yeka West
to East and Entoto and Bekulo-Bet North to South. In this period, the total built up area was
1863.13 hectares. Assuming constant growth in each year the average growth of the built up area
was 37.26 hectares per annum (AAMPRO, 2002).
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The physical expansion of the built-up area of the city during the period 1937 to 1975 was
characterized by a compact type of development. One of the development features during this
period was infill developments. The expansion was held to the west and largely to the south
(Akaki, Kaliti, Nefas-Silk, Makkanisa, Alert, Burayu, and Bole Kotebe). Due to this fact many
farm households were evicted for the sake of expansion of the city to Bole area.
During the period 1976 to 1985 the total built-up area of the city had reached 10,838
hectares with an overall increment of 4,788 hectares. Expansion to south wards and south west
continue during which Bole, Kotebe, Makkanisa, Gulale and part of Kolfe, Alert to Rephi and
Nifas-Silk (which comprises of Akaki and Kalitii district) are major sites brought under the built
up areas of the city. Urban settlement was extended to the periphery evicting the rural farming
community. Within nine years period huge amount of rural lands were incorporated in to the city
boundary with no rules and regulations and no appropriate planned expansion of settlements onto
farmlands. Probably, one of the factors for rapid expansion of settlements during this period was
due to radical political and economic changes that took place in the country since 1974.
Particularly, it seems that the nationalization of the urban land with loose control and
management system opened free movement for squatters and speculators. However, it was in this
period that the housing shortage in the city was most acutely felt and the government encouraged
large-scale construction of dwelling units through the established housing cooperatives.
It was in 1984 that the boundary of the city was redefined by including (annexing) some
peasant associations (PAs) from the surrounding Oromia region. These PAs are later used as
expansion areas of the city .The area of Finfine city reached 53115.8 hectares out of which
24777.9 hectares was built-up already by 2000 (AAMPRO, 2002).
Another development period was from 1986 to 1995. Similar to the 1975 -1984 period, this
is also a nine years period in which the total built-up area of the city has reached 13,763.3
hectares with an increment of 2,925.3 hectares. The annual average built up area in this period
was 325 hectares, which is higher than the first and the second periods but less than the third.
92
The expansion of the city took place to the West to Ayar Tena, Kolfe Keraniyo and Asko; to the
South to Makkanisa and Kalitti; and to the East to Kotebe, Bole Garji and Bole Yerer; and to the
North of French Embassy. This was the period when the Derg regime became weak and a
change of government occurred. In the transition period squatter settlement increased more and
contributed to the physical expansion of the city.
During the most recent period of physical expansion, between 1996 and 2000, the physical
built-up area of Finfine (Addis Ababa) increased by 909.4 hectares, reaching a cumulative total
of 14,672.7 hectares. Expansion of the city was characterized by the development of scattered
and fragmented settlements in the peripheral areas of the city, with both legal residents and
squatters. In 2000, the city had an estimated total of 60,000 housing units with squatter
settlements. This figure accounted for 20 per cent of the total housing stock of the city and the
total area occupied by squatter settlements was estimated at 13.6 per cent of the total built-up
area (Minwuyelet, 2005). The expansion took place to the east to Kotebe area (for residence and
industries); to the south Kalitti and Makkanisa area (dominantly planned for both residence and
industry), to the West along the road to Jimma and Keraniyo (mainly housing both formal and
informal), and along the road to Ambo (mainly formal housing in the Asco area). Though the
increment decreased from the previous period, it is still high with scattered and fragmented
settlement. During this period a number of peasant associations (as much as 23 PAs) from the
surrounding Oromia region were annexed (incorporated) into the city boundary. There were
series of conflicts being observed between the residents of the Finfine city and the surrounding
farm communities, the source of the conflict being on land use issue. The boundary between the
Finfine administration and the surrounding special zone of Oromia remained fluid and in the
future also it poses potential conflicts between the residents of the two entities.
93
Table 3.1: Finfine (Addis Ababa’s) Area increment since 1961
Period( years) Area in Hectares Area increment in Hectares
1961 21800 -
1984 22200 400
1994 53014 30814
2000 53014 -
2005 54000 986
Source: Source: Feyera (2005) citing OPHCC (1987: 9); CSA (1995:11, 1999:13, 2004: 24); ORAAMP (1997: 19)
Table 3.2: Growth Trend of Built-up areas of Finfine city
Period Average Area
covered (Hectare)
Total built-up
area (Hectares)
Annual
growth rate (%)
1886 - 1936 1863.13 1863.13 -
1937 - 1975 4186.87 6050.0 3.1
1976 – 1985 4788.0 10,838.0 6.0
1986 - 1995 2925.3 13,763.3 2.4
1996 - 2000 909.4 1.6
2001 - 2010 Nd*. Nd. Nd.
* No data Source: ORAAMP (2002)
Statistical evidences are none at all but some historical records portray that Emperor
Menelik later reformed the land tenure system whereby in the newly reformed tenure he
arbitrarily allotted the land again to more than 250 warlords, nobles, chiefs and their followers.
Such concentration of urban land in the hands of few individuals, feudal landlords shows not
only the feudal structure of distribution of land based on lease-hold system, but also it shows how
this withholding of both serviced and underserviced and the leasehold system of land allocation
affects the housing systems and the development of urban planning system.
One peculiar characteristics of the rulers before the 1974 Ethiopia was the fact that church
and state were two sides of the same coin. Thus construction of churches was one of the factors
for inappropriate use of land in the history of the city. The land occupied by the International
94
diplomatic offices (Embassies) of different countries is one of the reasons for uneconomical land
planning and use. This legacy has left the city to be one of inappropriately planned cities in
Africa.
3.3.3. History of Urban Planning and the Master Plans of Finfine (Addis Ababa)
The modern master plan for the city of Finfine (Addis Ababa) first emerged during the
Italian occupation. However, there were some attempts made even before the arrival of the
Italians. During the Italian period of master plan development a segregation of the local people
from the Europeans was reflected in the planning (Mikyas, 2011). The Addis Katama was
developed for the indigenous people and the market was moved from Aradda to the new place
where Markato stands today. During this short stay of the Italians two plans were prepared for
the city. The first one was by Le Corbusier - which was a conceptual plan and the plan did not
take into account the topography of the area and hence it did not get acceptance. The second plan
was prepared by Guidi and Valle – a plan which had two main commercial political axes parallel
to each other and the gridiron plan for Addis Katama and the other two axes remain other strong
elements of the Addis Ababa city plan until today.
In the history of city planning of Ethiopia the period 1945-1956 is a land mark in that
during this period a plan was prepared by Sir Patrick Abercrombie without an accurate
topographic map but partly depending on the earlier plan attempted by Regulatore plan. In 1946
a major step for the development of Addis Ababa took place with the Organization for African
Unity (OAU) established it’s headquartering in Addis Ababa. This led the then Emperor, Haile
Selassie, to invite Sir Patrick Abercrombie, the famous planner, to prepare a master plan for this
African capital. The plan provided a park system basic framework of the present roads system,
general land use plan, residential areas designed up to 1984 for 460,000 people in adequately
serviced neighbourhood units and proposed creation of 4 satellite (Kaliti, Kotebe, Gefersa,
Walate suk (along Alam-Gana Sabata road) and two semi-satellite towns (Yeka and Kolfe) 25 -
45 kilometres radius to accommodate a total of 300,000 more inhabitants (Getahun 2000). But
95
with the exception of the implementation of some of the proposed road networks, the proposal
lacked government endorsement and hence encountered actual implementation problem.
However, Abercrombie’s idea introduced new type of environmental considerations in the
planning of the city (plan for green areas).
In 1959, a British consulting group, Bolton Hennessy & Partners made another master plan
which more or less modified the plan of Abercrombie. The plan presented by the consulting
group envisaged the future of the city as that of the seat of government and trade centre and it
proposed urban renewal schemes.
In 1965, a French team led by L.de Marien reviewed all the previous master plans and drew
yet another master plan. One of the proposals of the French team was the extension of the city
southwards, the building of superhighways ring roads and the removal of the freight railway
station from its present location (Lagare) to Kaliti. However, it lacked awareness of the socio-
economic problems of the city and the main constraints of the previous proposals (Getahun,
2000). During the Derg Regime (Ethiopian Socialist government) also master plan development
continued with the plan prepared by Hungarian professor C.K Polonyi who introduced the
concept of open space (the revolutionary square in Addis Ababa).
The 1986 master plan, intended to serve for a period of 20 years, was prepared by the
Addis Ababa master plan project office established through the Ethio-Italian cooperation .The
core concept of the plan was to develop a balanced urban development system for the growing
Finfine (Addis Ababa) and to integrate the city with its surrounding regions and hence to provide
modern metropolitan feature. Decentralization of city service was the target of the plan. Sources
indicate that regardless of its wonderful proposal for the ever increasing population and space
requirement of people, the delay for its approval which lasted for 8 (eight) solid years paved a
way for unplanned urban sprawl, fragmentation of services and public areas and unplanned
development that affected the intended structure and urban form of the city.
96
The latest developed master plan is the Revised Addis Ababa Master Plan (ORAAMP)
which was prepared in 2002/003 (Local Development Plans, LDP) and its main focus is on
reorganization of the 1986 master plan. But recently, in the year 2013 the Addis Ababa city
Government is announcing that it has again revised the existing master plan even though it is not
yet publicised. This work is under progress by the recently established city based office known as
The Addis Ababa City Planning Project Office (AACPPO).
In general, it is possible to infer from the master plan experience of the city that it has
passed through a number of challenges from the foundation of the city to the present. Series of
master plans developed during the different regimes has introduced new concepts which are
requirements for any master plan. During the previous periods the master plans largely focused
on physical aspects only and were inconsistent. The recent master plans however, incorporated
the socio-economic circumstances in their planning proposal. Despite that, still the majority of
the developments carried out in the city are not complying with the master plan proposals. The
city government is largely looking for more space for the horizontal expansion of settlements and
industry to accommodate the ever increasing population contributed both by natural increase and
migration to the city. This condition perpetuated a continuous expansion of the city over the
fertile agricultural lands in the vicinity of Finfine. Except in very few cases, all the plans were
barely implemented because of the reasons mainly attributed to bureaucratic bottlenecks. On the
other hand, all the previous planners had underestimated the dynamics of population growth and
hence the basic resources and the social infrastructures that accompany population growth.
97
Figure 3.3: Expansion trend of Finfine city (1886-2000)
Source: AAMPRO (2002)
3.4. Finfine (Addis Ababa) Today
Located in the foothill of Entoto mountain, Finfine is bounded by some of the well-known
ridges and high mountains in south east (Yerer mountain), in the west within few kilometres of
distance (Wacaca mountain), in the southwest (the Furi) and in fact, the Entoto in the north, part
of which is put under the urban informal settlement. Except part of Entoto the others for the
moment are located outside the boundary of the city but within the SZOSF. The physiography
generally shows that in northern part the city is located over 3000 meters elevation and the
elevation drops to 2300m when we go southwards. Entoto ridge is a natural check to urban
expansion in the northern part. But some industries and settlements have leap-frogged to the
SZOSF crossing the mountain ridge.
98
Figure 3.4: Physiography of Finfine city and its Surroundings
Source: A.Codat2 (2012)
Finfine (Addis Ababa) is situated in the central part of the country and is the nerve centre
of social, economic, political and administrative matters of the country’s population in general
and the Oromo people in particular. It is a rapidly expanding city even though the status
urbanization of Ethiopia is low even in African standard. But the day -to- day expansion of
activities both the ‘good’ and the ‘evils’ made it one of the largest cities in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Its population increases annually by 4-6 per cent which can partly be attributed to the natural
population growth of nearly 2.4 per cent and the high migration of population from villages and
rural areas to the city. Government's population growth figures for Finfine (Addis Ababa)
precariously underestimate the number of people coming in from poor rural areas in search of a
better life. The CSA, the process owner of statistical issues for the country many a times
underestimate the population size of the country in general and of the city in particular. For
example, when we see population size of Finfine by the year 2007, the Census result of the same
shows 2,739,551 (CSA 2007). When we look at some research papers for the same year they
have put the population of the city sub-city wise and the aggregate population size to be 2.9
99
million just citing the same source, CSA. In the same manner UN-HABITAT (2007) report put
the population size of Finfine was 4 million. What is the source of such discrepancies? This
needs another separate investigation. However, given this data problem, the official report of
CSA is largely used. Thus, the population of Finfine as projected from the 2007 for the year 2012
is about 4 million and even recently the city administration has more than 4 million. Finfine
(Addis Ababa's) population could swell from 4 million today to more than 7 million within a
matter of few years, far more than the government's existing housing and infrastructure plans
could cope up with.
The city of Finfine (Addis Ababa) has the status of both a city and a state, with a charter
endorsed by the federal government. The Mayor is the chief executive of the city government.
The second tier of government refers to the Sub-Cities. The city is divided into 10 Sub-Cities
with significant responsibilities regarding municipal and non-municipal services. The lowest tier
of government is the Kebele (the lowest administrative unit). Each sub-city has on average about
10 Kebeles under it, and hence the City is divided into more than 100 Kebeles. However, the city
possesses multiple identities which may in the future create some administrative problems with
the surrounding Oromia region.
Imbalances between the housing demand and supply, lack of capacity of efficient services
provisions, good governance, system of solid waste management, environmental costs of rapid
urban growth, inappropriate land administration and management and some others are among the
major bottleneck problems for the proper and sustainable land development of the city.
Finfine (Addis Ababa) is a primate city where historical and geographical advantages
helped it to gain the status. It is in fact, unique from other cities of Africa in that it was guided by
indigenous plans during its early developments until the Italian occupation of Ethiopia during
which foreign plans stated to emerge for Finfine. The other unique feature of the city is that its
primacy was not a colonial legacy unlike most African cities.
100
The city dominated the urban history of Ethiopia in all aspects (demographic, social,
economic, administrative and cultural). It has the highest share of urban population of the
country and of course, as a city it has significant share of the total population of Ethiopia (nearly
25 per cent of the urban population and 5.5 per cent of total population of Ethiopia is contributed
by Finfine). On the other hand the growth and development of regional towns in the country was
highly affected due to the reason that the past governments have been giving more attention to
the development of the capital city than the other towns in the country. This situation has affected
the development of other towns. But recently there is an attempt to boost the growth and
development of regional towns which may influence the primacy of the capital and contribute to
fair distribution of resources and population to all other towns and cities of the country.
Finfine is the hub of Ethiopian urban economy. The GDP of the city accounts for a
significant share of the national GDP. Service sector contributes for more than two-third of the
GDP (76.5 per cent), industry (23.3 per cent) and 0.2 per cent comes from agriculture (M. Addis
Codatu2 2012). Both formal and informal sector economy is contributing for employment of the
city’s population. The city is well connected to all parts of the country via the five major outlets
with road transportation. Its central location made it to have a major transportation hub of the
country.
Figure 3.5: The Rank-Size distributions of towns and cities in Ethiopia as of July 2011.
Source: Wondimu R. KTH, Stockholm (2011)
101
According to the CSA 2007 report, there are about 973 settlements designated as urban
(with population size of 2000 and more) in Ethiopia and the number of towns and cities is
tremendously increasing from time to time. However, there are only 12 towns whose population
size is more than 100000. Finfine is the only city which has more than 1 million populations.
Therefore, its primacy is unquestionable and now it is 10 times more than the second largest ton,
Dire Dawa, in population.
Table 3.3: Population Weight of the Finfine out of Ethiopia’s Population (1950-2015)
Population (000s) Finfine’s per cent of
Ethiopian population
Year
Finfine Finfine annual Ethiopia Total Urban
change Total Urban
Absolute Rate per
100
1950 392 18434 848 2.1 46.2
1960 519 12.7 2.85 22771 1465 2.3 35.4
1970 730 21.1 3.47 28791 2477 2.5 29.5
1980 1182 45.2 4.94 36375 3813 3.2 31.0
1990 1793 61.1 4.25 48093 6461 3.7 27.8
2000 2639 84.6 3.94 62565 11042 4.2 23.9
2010 4070 143.1 4.43 79944 18271 5.1 22.3
2015 5095 205.0 4.59 90947 23441 5.6 21.7
Source: Antonio Golini (n/d‡)
Finfine’s share of the national urban population declined from a high of 46.2 per cent in the
1950 to low of 22.3 per cent in the 2010.This means that its primacy is gradually declining away
as a result of faster growth rate of the towns in most of other parts of the country.
‡ No date
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3.5. Metropolitan Planning Region of Finfine (Addis Ababa)
3.5.1. The Metropolitan Region: Oromia Regional State and Finfine city
Metropolitan region is a planning area around the city which encompasses some important
sources of urban supply, services and infrastructures. In Ethiopia it is rare to observe a
metropolitan area structure as there is only one city which is to the level of having metropolitan,
other cities (towns) being smaller in size. The majority of Ethiopian population lives in rural
areas and less than a quarter of the country’s population is residing in urban areas.
Metropolitan Region of Finfine (Addis Ababa Metropolitan Region) was proposed some 30
years back during which it was planned to create ‘Greater Addis Ababa’. Metropolitan Region of
Finfine (Addis Ababa) is located between 8o 22’N and 9
o30’57” N latitudes and 38
o24’East and
39o21’E longitudes. The plan was proposed to connect Finfine (Addis Ababa) city with the city
of Adama some 100 kilometres south east of Finfine. It is a wide region incorporating the
surrounding six districts of the Oromia National Regional state and the ten sub-cities of Finfine
city which further aimed at making metropolis self-sufficient with agricultural products.
The Metropolitan region is proposed to comprise the rural districts and towns within a 40-
50 kilometres radius from the core and the city itself, to include the area where urban-rural
interaction is more intense than in the other parts of the region. To the south and south-east part
of Finfine, the length of the metropolitan area stretches up to 100 kilometres (along the Finfine -
Adama corridor). The natural resources for supplying the whole area with fuel wood fresh
vegetables, milk and dairy products are located here together with major infrastructures
providing for water, electricity, sewerages, waste treatment, transport, parks and recreation. This
region has a total area of 5493 square kilometres with a population of more than 4 million (now
actually the population is estimated at 7 million (Zegeye, 2009) when the population of Special
Zone of Oromia is included.
103
Neither the boundary of Finfine nor those of its hinterlands are clearly defined, partly
because administrative boundaries frequently change associated with administrative reforms and
reclassifications and partly because most of the agricultural commodities pass through Finfine
either to be traded or transported to other areas in Ethiopia or the Djibouti port as major export
location. The key position of Finfine in the heart of the country is historically and strategically
grown as a result of the highly centralized governance structure. It is very recently that reforms
and policy decentralization has begun and still it is not strongly grounded to change the
concentration of functions in Finfine.
Source: Codat2 (2012)
Since the metropolitan region proposed urban expansion, development have especially
progressed into the direction of Bishoftu and Adama, but it is not clear whether this is the effect
of planning or the result of autonomous development driven by population growth.
Figure 3.6: Finfine (Addis Ababa) Metro-Planning Region
104
The population size of the two major components of the Metropolitan region (i.e. the City
Government of ‘Addis Ababa’ and the SZOSF) is presented in tables below. Since recent times
population of the city and the districts and the towns in the special zone as well is growing
rapidly due to some development ventures undergoing in the region that attracts rural population
in search of job and living. The CSA including other sources indicate that the population of the
city is growing at 6 per cent per year which is a very high growth rate. The city and its fringe
settlements are destinations of dozens of rural and urban migrants.
Figure 3.8: Metropolitan Region of Finfine city and the Special Zone of Oromia
Source: Extracted from the Codat2 (2012), OWWDSE (2011)
As can be seen from map 3.8 above, the city of Finfine (Addis Ababa) is located in the
heart of the metropolitan region. The Special Zone of Oromia Surrounding Finfine is situated
surrounding the city boundary of Finfine. The metropolitan region in addition these two sub-
region contains other towns and rural districts. The developments that take place in the city
boundary of Finfine are the major factors for the changes and transformations taking place in this
metropolitan region. The linkage between the city and the other rural and semi-urban areas in the
105
metro-region is strong. Therefore, due to the presence of strong geographic integration between
the three regions, the scale of analysis in this study ranges from the micro-scale (where the case
study sites are located) and the implications are at the metropolitan region (macro-scale) level.
Source: Author’s construct
As it is mentioned in the above paragraph, the metropolitan region contains both the city
and the surrounding areas. Administrative structures, population size and the area of the city
boundary and the Special zone surrounding the city is indicated in tables 3.4 and 3.5 below.
Finfine Metropolitan
Region (Macro scale)
Special Zone of
Oromia Surrounding
Finfine
Case Study Sites
(Galan, Lagatafo, Burayyu)
(Micro scale)
Transformations (Land use/cover,
socio-economic, environmental)
Figure 3.9: Scale of Analysis for the Study
106
Table 3.4: Population, Area and Density of Sub-cities (Districts) of Finfine
Sub-
cities/Districts
2008 2009
Population Area(km2) Density
(P/km2)
Population Area
(km2)
Density
(P/km2)
Addis Katama 254972 7.4 34409.2 271644 7.9 34409.2
Akaki-Kaliti 183288 118.1 1552.2 195273 125.8 1552.2
Arada 212129 9.9 21405.5 225999 10.6 21405.5
Bole 308714 122.1 2528.8 328900 130.1 2528.8
Gulallee 267381 30.2 8859.5 284865 32.2 8859.5
Kirkos 220991 14.6 15115.7 235441 15.6 15115.7
Kolfe Keraniyo 428219 61.3 6991.3 456219 65.3 6991.3
Lidata 201613 9.2 21962.2 214796 9.8 21962.2
N.S. Lafto 315134 68.3 4614.0 335740 72.8 4614.0
Yeka/Ekka 345807 86.0 4021.9 368418 91.6 4021.9
Total Finfine
(A.A)
2738248 527.0 5196.0 2917295 561.4 5196.0
Source: CSA (2008)
Population of the districts in the special zone and the eight (8) towns is presented below
separately. Between 2008 and 2009 while the population of Finfine city was growing at 6 per
cent per year, the growth rate for the six districts was more than 11 per cent. Indicating strong
population pull to the region
Table 3.5: Population, Area and Density of Districts in SZOSF (CSA 2008)
Districts of
the SZOSF
2008 2009
Population Area
(km2
)
Density
(P/Km2)
Population Area
(Km2
)
Density
(P/km2)
Akaki 77 829 582.6 133.6 85 219 637.9 133.6
Barak 81205 736.5 110.3 88916 806.5 110.3
Mulo 35130 509.9 68.9 38466 558.3 68.9
Sabata-
Hawaas
133746 867.9 154.1 146446 950.3 154.1
Sululta 129322 1151.2 112.3 141602 1260.5 112.3
Walmara 83784 656.1 127.7 91740 718.3 127.7
Total of
districts
541016 4504.2 120.1 592389 4931.9 120.1
Population of the eight towns has shown a very rapid growth for the period from 2007/8 to
the projected population size for the year 2015.There is a trend of increasing and thereby putting
enormous impact on the surrounding rural agricultural land. Here it is possible to see that the
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major city, Finfine, is expanding to towards the SZOSF and on the other hand the towns in the
special zone are drastically increasing in the area decreasing the agricultural and grazing lands
between the city boundary and the towns’ administrative area. Within few years from now the
agricultural lands found surrounding the towns of the SZOSF will be totally put to urban use.
Figure 3.10: Finfine and its Surrounding Towns of the Special Zone of Oromia
108
Table 3.6 : Profile of towns in the SZOSF (Year of establishment, area in hectares and
population size)
Towns in
(SZOSF)
Districts Year of
estab.EC/G
C
Area
(Hect.)
2009
Population size
2007/8 2009/10 2011/12 2013/14 2015
Burayyu Walmara 1954 (1954) 6650 66526 72180 78333 85030 88598
Dukam Akaki 1988 (1996) 3586 6976 7632 8351 9137 9557
Galan Akaki 1978(1986) 750 - 9686 10598 11595 12128
Holota Walmara 1894 (1902) 5500 32112 34859 36323 41107 42842
L/Tafo-
L/Dadhi
Barak 1998 (2007) - - 13270 14518 15885 16616
Sabata S/Hawas 1936 (1944) 9500 58713 64239 70285 76900 80437
Sandafa Barak 1929 (1937) 8800 11245 12303 13461 14728 15405
Sululta Sululta 1929 (1937) 4400 13025 14251 15592 17059 17844
Total
towns
- - 39186 178497 228420 247461 271441 369,441
Source: Projected from CSA (2008); OUPI (2008)
3.5.2. Land use and Agricultural Potential of the Metropolitan Region
The spatial analyses of land cover changes in for two periods (1973-1986 and 1986-2007)
was conducted by C.J.M van der Lans et al (2011) while researching the metropolitan agriculture
of two developing metropolis of Finfine and Wuhan of China. The result shows that the built up
area of metropolitan Finfine (Addis Ababa) has increased by more than double to approximately
100 square kilometres. The expansion continued from the 1986 to 2007 in which again the size of
built up areas has approximately doubled to 200 square kilometres. The expansion of the city is
obviously at the expense of the fertile agricultural land and forest resources in the fringe areas.
The agricultural land remained stable in the period 1986 - 2007 because the loss of agricultural
land urbanization was compensated by converting forest to agricultural land in other areas.
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Agricultural Activities in the Metropolitan Region of Finfine
Metropolitan region of Finfine is one of the most agriculturally productive areas in the
country. It is physiographically located in the Showa plateau which is volcanic in origin.
Actually, the government of Ethiopia is undermining the potential and actual contribution this
region is having for food supply to the city (especially the cereals like ‘teff’ produced in the
metro region is the largest source of food for the residents of Finfine) and to the population of the
country at large. The contribution made by the region in supplying dairy products, vegetables and
fruits, horticulture and so on is enormous. But in the past five years the government is planning
to have horticultural development over the other agricultural sectors like the production of crops.
In order to do that necessarily there is an impact on conversion of agricultural land which
dominates the land use of the metropolitan region.
Ethiopian government in its policy (the Agricultural Development Led Industrialization,
ADLI) designed strategies to support commercialization of small holder agriculture through
product diversification and shift to high-valued crops, high-valued niche export crops, and the
development of large-scale commercial agriculture and the effective integration of farmers with
domestic and external markets. However, much research seems to focus on the production of
horticultural commodities for export (C.J.M et al, 2011). There is limited information available
regarding how the small holder farmers are being supported, rather their land is grabbed, and
they are displaced and left with no livelihood sources. The land farmers were using was rather
serving as a source of wealth and profit accumulation for the rich capitalists and some corrupt
government officials (this issue is well explained under Chapter six).
110
3.6. Special Zone of Oromia Surrounding Finfine as Part of the Metropolitan Region
3.6.1. The Geography and Integration
Though it is beyond the scope of this thesis to discuss in detail the genesis of relationship
between Ethiopia, Oromia, Finfine and the SZOSF, historical realities make it easy to create
connections between them. A study of their geography can explain a number of other relations.
Oromia is one of the 9 (nine) ethnically based regions of Ethiopia. It is indeed the largest
centrally positioned region, stretching from western border in an arc to south-western corner of
the country. Located in the heart of Oromia and Ethiopia, Finfine is the capital city of The
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Oromia Regional State, too. Surrounding this
city in all directions and sharing boundaries with it there are six districts of Oromia region which
in turn have towns with them and this surrounding region is known as the “Special Zone” of
Oromia surrounding Finfine - now considered in this study as fringe area of the city.
Before the EPRDF came to power in 1991, Ethiopia was divided in to administrative
provinces (14 administrative provinces). Addis Ababa was the capital of the then Shawa
administrative province. Later after EPRDF took control of power ethnically based regions were
created in which the majority of the earlier administrative provinces including Shawa came under
the Oromia region. The capital of the country and the Oromia region remains to be Finfine.
Oromia claims the city because of historical rights over Finfine not because of bargaining or not
because of something sudden but only because the original settlers of Finfine were the Oromo
and hence Finfine is part of Oromia. Historical evidences witness that as early as 1909; the total
number of Oromos in Finfine was more than 25000 representing the majority of the residents of
the town.
According to Wondwossen (2010) the geographical nexus yielded historical perspectives
on the relations of Finfine and Oromia. But why Oromia is not administering Finfine?
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Both geography and history show that Finfine belongs to Oromia region. This fact gave
rise to various kinds of claims with regard to who should administer Finfine. There were a
number of times the Oromo community claimed to administer the city based on the above
realities and rights. Such geographical and historical affiliations necessitated the regulation of the
social, economic and administrative issues. Based on this pressure the constitution of EPRDF
recognizes at least on paper the interest of Oromia in terms of social, economic and
administrative lines. The regulation reads as “The special interest of the State of Oromia in Addis
Ababa, regarding the provision of social services or the utilization of natural resources and
other similar matters, as well as joint administrative matters arising from the location of Addis
Ababa within the State of Oromia shall be respected” [Ethiopian constitution, Article 49(5)].
Finfine’s (Addis Ababa’s) location in Oromia raises issues of administration, economic and
social issues.
The Dual Identity of Finfine City
Regarding the matrix of governance of Finfine, Ybruh and Solomon (2013) tried to assess
the relations between Finfine and Oromia and hence the role of the federal government from the
point of view of some jurisdiction over the city. The authors have evaluated the modality of
governance for Finfine across with the related city states taking cases from different countries.
Below are the models of governance Ybruh and Solomon have presented and evaluated Finfine
(Addis Ababa’s) case in light with the others.
Cities, especially the capital ones always face and feel the tension between the federal
government to take full control of its seats and develop the same and a sub-national entity, in
which the city is located, that wants to govern and organize one of its component parts in its own
ways. The federal district model serves the ends of the federal government. The centre has full
control over the city and is responsible to planning and development. Among the federations that
adhere to such models include the United States (Washington D.C), India (the Union territory of
Delhi), and Nigeria (Abuja Federal Capital Territory).
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The city state is a city that serves as the seat of the federal government and that is also a
full-fledged state. As a full-fledged state, it enjoys a considerable degree of autonomy. This
certainly ensures local self-governance by avoiding any form of subservience to the federal
government or any other state. Unlike the federal district model where the federal government
has full control of the seat of government, a city state which is also the seat of the federal
government can control the behaviour of the federal government. Widely acclaimed instances of
a city state, that is also the seat of the federal government, includes Vienna (Austria), Berlin
(Germany since 1990), Brussels (Belgium) and Moscow (Russia).
In a city under a regional state, the capital city is an integral part of a sub-national unit
which in turn has jurisdiction over the city and can legally treat the same just like any other city
in the domain of the region without taking into account the interest of the federal government
.Some of the capital cities in the world embody this model (Madrid of Spain, Kuala Lumpur of
Malaysia, Ottawa of Canada, Pretoria of South Africa and Abu Dhabi of UAE).
Finfine (Addis Ababa) poses a slightly different background of governance. For one thing,
the city is the seat of the federal government while on the other hand it is located within a
Regional State of Oromia to whom the right to claim for a special treatment is postulated in the
FDRE Constitution. The FDRE Constitution gives “full measure of self-government to the
residents of Addis Ababa”. But the city is never free and autonomous as stated in the constitution.
Finally, the authors conclude that Finfine’s case is different from the condition in similar
cities/countries and thus they referred Finfine as ‘Special city’ in which the city does share
neither of the cases presented here.
Finfine (Addis Ababa) is the primary centre of the country’s social, economic and political
activities. Addis Ababa is the capital city of the Federal Government of Ethiopia as well as
Oromia. The Constitution gives self-governing status to residents on one hand and to the city
government on the other. Another lack of clarity is the fact that the Constitution puts ‘Addis
Ababa’ in what appears to be unending variance in its relation with Oromia as it only speaks
113
about the special interest of Oromia without stipulating the principles that should guide the
relationship and indicating the source of the interest.
Given this confusing and abused relationship, leaving aside the reality so as to accomplish
political ends of the government of Ethiopia, another issue came in to being in 2008.That is the
establishment of the Special zone of Oromia Surrounding Finfine, which is located
circumscribing Finfine city in all directions. According to the officials of Oromia Regional state,
the special zone is established upon the venture of regulating Oromia’s interest in Finfine (Addis
Ababa).
Why the ‘Special Zone’?
The Special Zone of Oromia Surrounding Finfine, SZOSF, was established in 2007. It
comprises of the six districts surrounding Finfine which have been administered under the North
Shawa Zone, West Shawa Zone, Southwest Shawa and Eastern Shawa zone of the Oromia
region. This special zone has many small towns under it but the major ones are the 8 towns
(Burayu, Dukam, Galan, Holota, LagaTafo- Laga Dadhi, Sabata, Sandafa and Sululta). One of
the purposes of establishing the special zone as put in the preamble of the “establishing
regulation, Regulation No. 115/2000, Ethiopian Calendar,” is creating a body that guides
coordinates and follows up in one direction, of the relationship between Addis Ababa and cities
and rural areas of Oromia in social, economic and political affairs. The other one is Regulation
No.115/2000, Preamble states that the Special Zone takes over most of the functions of eleven
towns surrounding Finfine. Moreover, the zone leads and coordinates the operations of these
towns and superintends their day to day activities. It seems that the establishment of the special
zone is strategic in the sense that it unifies the so far disorganized efforts of dealing with Finfine
(Wondwossen, 2010).
Some of the powers and functions of the Special Zone comprise coordinating the
development efforts of the towns surrounding Finfine, determines the modalities of using land
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and administers land in cities surrounding Addis Ababa, establishes a centre of market for the
cities it administers, studies the modalities of working together with Addis Ababa and submits its
findings to the concerned organ and works to determine the boundary between Addis Ababa and
Oromia (Regulation No.115/2007, Article 9). Unlike other zones in the region the Special Zone
does not have legislative and judicial powers. It is an entity mainly established to shape policy
directions articulate the interest of Oromia in Finfine (Addis Ababa) and direct the bargaining
power of the eleven towns surrounding the administration city.
Explaining the importance of establishing the Special Zone, Mr. Awol, Head of land and
environmental protection office, Oromia Special Zone administration in 2009 expounded that the
establishment of the special zone is necessitated by the emerging issue of the overflowing
demand for land from Finfine to towns of the Oromia Regional State in the vicinity. Mr. Awol
added that Finfine has become saturated so investors have increasingly sought to get land from
nearby Oromia towns (the area has become a hot spot for national and international investors).
In conclusion, proximity does not explain Finfine (Addis Ababa) and Oromia and hence
Finfine city and the Special zone of Oromia. The city is totally surrounded by Oromia in all
directions, especially the districts of the Special zone which share boundary with Finfine. Had it
not been for the Constitution that knots Finfine (Addis Ababa) and Oromia together and made
Finfine a self-governing entity, the city would have been one of the cities of Oromia and hence
the subject matter of Oromia (Wondwossen, 2010). The boundary between the special zone of
Oromia and Finfine is also not yet clearly demarcated and it has created a number of tensions and
conflicts between the residents of the two regions. The metropolitan region has Finfine in the
centre and covers much of Oromia’s districts especially the fringe settlements are totally falling
in the metropolitan area boundary. The constitution still lacks clarity in explicitly indicating the
interest of Oromia in Addis Ababa. Therefore, in my opinion such suspensions are showing
unfair diversion of reality and it is simply the way Oromia’s right over Finfine continues to be
abused. Finfine administration has a plan to incorporate the Special zone administration in its
115
boundary. The majority of residents and real estate developers, industry owners in zone are from
Finfine city. This condition may in the future exacerbate the expansion of Finfine to the
surrounding lands in a quite high rate.
3.6.2. Overview of the Special Zone of Oromia Surrounding Finfine
According to Ethiopian administrative hierarchy, the zone comes at the third stage going
from the higher to the lower administrative units.
Oromia Region State as one of the nine ethnically based regions of Ethiopia has Finfine in
its centre. The region has about more than18 zones and some special zones. Special zone of
Oromia Surrounding Finfine (hereinafter called as SZOSF) is a recently established (2008) zone
found geographically surrounding Finfine city in all directions. Below is a brief physical and
socio-economic characteristic of the zone.
Location:
The SZOSF is located in the central highlands of Ethiopia, in Oromia Regional state
surrounding the capital city, Finfine.
Geographically, the zone lies between 8034’ – 9
032’ north latitude and 38
025’ – 39
008’ east
longitude. The zone is found at the average altitude of 2400 meters above sea level (the altitude
ranges from 1500 to 3440 meters above sea level). This zone has a spatial coverage of 497,846
hectares. SZOSF has six (6) districts (Akaki, Barak, Mulo, Sululta, Sabata-Hawas and Walmara)
and eight (8) municipal towns. Since location-wise it is found surrounding the capital city,
Finfine, highways or outlets connecting the capital with all the regions pass through this zone. It
has a strategic position as future growth pole centre (both in terms of economy and resources).
116
Climate
According to the physiographic classification of the country the SZOSF is found in the
central highlands where the climate especially temperature is from coo to moderate. The mean
annual cool temperature (11oc - 16
oc ) covers 60 per cent of the zone. About 38 per cent of the
zone has a mean annual temperature of 16oc - 21
oc and the remaining 2 per cent especially in the
southern part of the zone has a temperature amount of 21oc - 26
oc (OWWDSE 2011).
The rainfall pattern of the zone has a uni-modal characteristic where the majority 80 per
cent of this zone experiences maximum rainfall from June to September. The southern part of the
zone (Akaki district on the other hand has a bi-nomial characteristics with slightly limited
amount of rainfall than the other parts of the zone).
Figure 3.11: Rainfall and Temperature graph of Finfine and its Surroundings
Sources: Meteorological Agency of Ethiopia.
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Mean temperature 23.3 24 24.7 24 24.615.920.620.421.222.122.722.5
Rainfall 15 32 64.4 82 62 119 270 279 133 33 5 6
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
Tem
p.(
0C
) R
ain
fall(
mm
)
Temperature and Rainfall data ,Finfine and its Surroundings
(Averages , 15 years)
117
Topography
This Zone has three major physiographic divisions. The first one is the mountain Ranges,
massifs and high plateaus of Entoto, Chelelka and Gaara Foyata and (above 3000m) - lies in
central part of the Zone, stretching from Northern escarpment of the zone as well as north and
north west. The second is, the low plateaus and the associated low lands are constituted about 50
per cent of the total area of the Zone lies within the range of 1500-2500 meters. This indicates
that half of this special zone lies in the low plateau area. The third is lowlands (less than 1500m).
This type of physiographic region of the zone is found in the north western and Western low
lying areas.
The relief for Finfine city and its surrounding areas is indicated in Chapter four (from DEM
and contour maps) in which the city is situated in between the surrounding uplands or hills in the
northern, south western and south-eastern parts.
Drainage Pattern
The Special Zone of Oromia is naturally endowed with many rivers and streams. It has
high network or density of permanent rivers and streams. Entoto mountain ranges are the major
water source for the major permanent rivers which flow within and outside the zone. The Awash
river basin covers much of the zone. The Akaki river basin is the main river system in the study
area, the two rivers flow from north of Finfine city to the southwest and intersect at Abba Samuel
dam lake and finally join the Awash River.
Soils
The major soil type in Special Zone are: Chromic and Pellic Vertisols which has water
holding characteristics and heaviness for ploughing during rainy seasons due to high Clay
content, Luvisols is good for agriculture with base saturation and weather able minerals and
dominant on the high land parts of the zone, Cambisols dominantly occur on the steep slopes and
118
are often shallow or have many rock outcrops and those developed on gentler slopes, however,
have good base saturation and fertility and can highly be important for agriculture.
Other types of soils of the Zone are Andosol having over 60 per cent volcanic ash, or other
vertic pyroclastic materials in silt, sand and gravel fraction occur in parts of the Zone. Lithosol is
another group of soil found in the Zone, has a high base saturation and hence fertile. Fluvisols is
restricted to the low land parts. Levis phaeozems, Orthic Solonchak, Calcic xerosols, Eutric
regosols, Gypsic Yeromosols, mollic Gleysols and orthic Acrisols are another soil groups found
in the Zone. Generally, the fertility status of the soil of the zone is good and conducive for crop
production (OWWDSE 2011).
Vegetation
Natural Vegetation - The natural vegetation cover of an area is determined mainly by the
altitude, temperature, amount of rainfall and parent material from which the soil has been derived
and type of human interference. Its coverage and composition also changes over time due to
human activities.
According to some literatures and historical data long years ago most parts of the SZOSF
were covered with dense and Indigenous natural forest. However, due to an increase in demands
for cropland, residential, industrial, woods for construction and firewood as a result of population
growth, this type of forests have almost been lost. Currently, only, Entoto State forest and some
limited areas in the zone are some pockets of the zone that remain with very few limited natural
forest coverage. The major forest/vegetation types found in the zone includes Afro alpine and sub
Afro alpine Vegetation, coniferous Forest, broad-leafed Forest, grassland and government
Protected Forest. There are three high priority forest development regions with like Menagesha
Suba and Adis bah. Most of these forests are natural and indigenous species (OWWDSE, 2011).
These forests are being decreasing from year to year both in coverage and composition due
to illegal and legal destruction. The illegal deforestation activities include forest clearing for
119
expanding farm lands, local lumber production, fire wood, construction and charcoal production
which are practiced by farmers.
Demographic and Socio-economic characteristics of the Zone
According to the official report of CSA 2007 the population of the zone was 702,593. It
covers an area of about 4800 square kilometres. Some sources estimated that the population of
the zone reaches 794,489 for the same census year. The density of population of this zone (164
persons per square kilometre) is far greater than the regional and national averages (which is
76.78 persons per square kilometre and 59.07 persons per square kilometre respectively). Before
the restructuring of the administration in the year 2007/8 the region was known for its vast plain
agricultural and grazing lands. It was the largest supplier of food for the urban community in the
special zone and Finfine.
The special zone of Oromia is rich in terms of natural resources and has use potential for
development in agriculture and related industries. The zone is a strategic area for investment,
market and access to infrastructure from the nearby Finfine city. The zone became a major
business centre for the rich businessmen and attracted large population from different parts of the
country. It became one of the highest population mobility areas in the country.
An increasing conversion of land from agricultural to urban use has attracted a large
number of investors in different sectors, wage labourers, small scale businessmen and others
which increased the dynamicity of population and activities in the area. Nevertheless, the special
zone of Oromia surrounding Finfine has lots of problems emerging due to the recent
developments introduced to the area. Even if the zone has huge potential for investment in
manufacturing, flower farming and agro-industries, it became the major recipient of some
negative externalities on the land and environment. There are challenges already emerged and
likely to emerge in the nearest future with regard to sustainable use of resources and
environmental sustainability. There is an increasing and of course, unregulated competition for
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land which affects the sustainable use of land resource. Environmental pollution is another major
threat to the sustainability development of the zone.
3.6.3. Rural – Urban Linkage: Finfine (Addis Ababa) and its Hinterlands
Demographic and economic expansion of cities, through the processes such as migration
and industrialization tend to be accompanied by spatial expansion, resulting in encroachments by
cities upon adjacent peri-urban or fringe areas. At the same time areas that were earlier distant
from the city and rural in character will subsequently start falling within the cities’ reach or ‘band
of influence’. Typically increased interaction with and access to the city economy in terms of
capital, labour (public and private) goods and services will subsequently trigger the
transformation of rural to peri-urban areas.
Studies across many cities in the world witness that the physical boundaries of urban built-
up areas often do not coincide with their administrative boundaries. The areas surrounding urban
centres generally have an important role in providing food for urban consumers, with proximity
lowering the cost of transportation and storage. In fact, it is difficult to make generalizations for
all on the nature of the fringe areas linkage with the main city, which depends on the
combination of a number of factors including the economic and infrastructural base of the urban
centre, the historical, social and cultural characteristics of the area and its ecological and
geographical features. Fringe areas are largely heterogeneous in character and have different
potential to sustain their linkage with the city around them.
Coming to the specific situation of the nature and magnitude of linkage between the city
and fringe area understudy, there are different manifestation of linkages so far established and in
progress between the city of Finfine and its fringe zone (SZOSF). As per the study conducted by
the Special zone administration in consultation with the OWWDSE during the land use planning
study from 2008 -2011, the linkage between the main city and the surrounding areas takes both
the form of rural-urban and urban-urban linkages. Economic linkages, public sector linkages,
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spatial, infrastructural and environmental linkages are among the major ones identified. Cities
and towns provide markets for agricultural products, specialised services (health, higher
education, wholesale, government and finance), and even sources of temporary employment and
shelter for some rural household members.
Rural-urban linkage studies in Ethiopia is scarce and especially the studies so far conducted
barely document detail data showing specific type of industrial goods and communities are
delivered to the rural population. From the review of these studies including the study area shows
that the bulk amount of goods delivered to the rural people are consumable goods. The demanded
goods by rural people are largely acquired through market network established in the urban areas.
Retail shops in small towns are the major sources where rural demand for industrial goods met.
But there retail shops do not have the capacity to engage in wholesale transactions and are
involved in trading consumer goods of low value. The supply works efficiently depending on the
size and type of the towns demanding the industrial goods flows. That is why in the majority of
rural areas where the small size of the settlements coupled with lack of road infrastructure limited
the availability and distribution of goods to the rural areas.
The eight towns of the SZOSF are found very closer to the main city within an average
distance of 22 kilometres. In addition, these towns are situated along the already established road
outlets and are well connected to the city. These towns are in turn connected well with the rural
villages and the towns act as intermediate supply zones of industrial goods for the rural
settlements. Proximity also facilitated such interaction. Medium sized shops in Lagatafo,
Burayyu and Galan are receiving the imported or domestically produced goods and keep in their
stock and retail the goods to the rural surrounding population. Consumable goods are the
dominant ones.
The other most important linkage we see between cities and rural settlements or between
the major city and the towns is the flow of factors of production, labour and capital. Labour is
the major source that flows between rural and urban areas, particularly unskilled labour at large
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extent and pace flows from rural areas to the nearby urban areas. In Ethiopia it is still difficult to
document the exact data on the labour movement from rural to urban areas except that some
researchers trace their source region. The amount and trend of labour flow is also shallowly
studies. During my field work in Lagatafo settlement, which is one of the emerging urban centres
in the SZOSF, I have tried to talk to one of the daily labour worker in one of the biggest real
estate construction centre called Country Cottagers Club, CCD. The informant told me that there
are more than 2000 daily labourers working in the real estate construction and majority of them
came from rural surrounding areas. The majority of technical persons however came from the
main city Finfine. It is thus possible to infer that rural areas are the major source of unskilled
labour. It is also obvious that urban sector activities are expanding to such fringe areas where job
opportunities in the construction sector can easily be secured.
Regarding capital flow between the rural and urban areas the role played by some financial
intermediaries deserves mention. The oldest and in fact the informal financial institutions (‘idir’
and ‘iqub’) contribute the largest share of capital flows in rural and urban areas. The rural
population of Ethiopia had very poor access and experience of using the formal financial
institutions, like banks. Progress came with the introduction of microfinance institutions
however. Some institutions are strong in maintain capital flow of the remote rural areas. Better
than any time in the history, the rural people are connected to information line and hence to some
opportunities. I have tried to observe in the study sites that there is awareness among the
community regarding these financial institutions. There are organizing bodies in the district and
towns of the SZOSF on how the farmers especially the ones who lost their land to urban
activities through government acquisition of land.
Among important and basic things the rural areas provide agricultural produce to the rural
population. Therefore, it is important to see flow of agricultural goods. At the country level the
major linkage between rural and urban areas is through flow of agricultural produce from the
rural areas. The eight major towns of the SZOSF are recipients of basic food items and livestock
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products from the surrounding districts. The districts in the surrounding areas of Finfine are
much endowed with agricultural produce (grain and livestock marketing).
The two regions are highly interdependent of public service sector in which the urban areas
provide higher order public services while the small towns and rural areas are potential users of
such services. The rural masses use the urban municipalities for getting high ordered public
services, like town or district administration facility, social services-hospitals, pharmacy, drug
stores-higher education colleges, agricultural training institutions, big markets, and other social
institutions are found in towns than in rural areas.
Given the following qualities of the towns and districts, for example, proximity to the
capital city and thereby national and international market, government policy towards
investment, conducive weather condition, accessibility of infrastructure, and on-going well-
prepared master plan facilitate the trend of investment potential of both towns and districts. In
discussing the role played by the surrounding rural settlements of the fringe of Finfine it is worth
mentioning that they serve as an important source of water for the city. The districts and towns
surrounding Finfine city are providing a very good space for manufacturing – small and large
scale industries, flower farming, agro-industry, real estate recreation, hotels, lounges, and resorts
mining and quarrying.
The above linkages and interdependencies are positive linkages whereby there is mutual
interdependence between the city and the districts or towns and rural areas surrounding it. One of
the most important points that should be given attention is the footprint that cities are imposing
on the rural areas. It is noted above that cities are depending on the rural areas for food and other
resources for smooth functioning of the systems in urban area. In this case some time and in most
of the cases cities are over exploiting the resources to the extent it diminishes both in quantity
and quality producing huge footprint. Cities are irresponsibly and in unplanned manner grab the
rural resources than the infrastructure they provide for the rural areas.
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In this regard, the fringe areas of Finfine from long time in history have been providing
huge resources for the city and in reverse the area is the major recipient of waste both the solid
waste and wastewater from the city. The rural districts have suffered a lot from the toxic
substance emanating from the industries in the Finfine city and flowing in water to the farmlands
and grazing fields (see the details in chapter six). In general, sustainability of such linkages
between the city and its surroundings depends on the nature of the linkage.
3.7. Recent Developments in the Metropolitan Region of Finfine (Addis Ababa)
3.7.1. Development Pressures and Potentials of the Fringe Area of Finfine
Naturally cities may expand in a haphazard manner beyond their administrative boundaries
in to the surrounding rural areas due to a number of driving forces and may sometimes be due to
the land tenure circumstances of the surrounding areas in attracting developments.
Conceptually, the urban fringe is a dynamic spatial unit where diverse competing forces are
main city, the sources of which are important to put pressure on the transition of the whole
aspects of fringe areas. Farmland conversion to non-agricultural use is largely an issue at the
urban fringe.
From recent times the fringe areas of Finfine city, the SZOSF, has shown rapid transition in
physical, socio-economic and demographic characteristics because of some critical forces
enhancing the rate and magnitude of the transition. The transition takes different forms and it can
be reflected either on the land or on the lifestyle and activities of the residents in the area. Thus, it
would be important to assess some of the development pressures operating in the fringe areas of
Finfine city as under;
I) one of the most important developments observed in the SZOSF, the fringe area, is the
restructuring of administrative units since the year 2007. It is the recent development between
the main city and the surrounding Oromia region that shaped the creation of the special zone
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itself which in this research is considered as the fringe area of the city. Previously, before the
year 2007, the eight municipal towns and the six districts have been structured under the zonal
administrative structure of Oromia region in which some of the towns and districts were under
the North Shawa zone ( Sandafa, LagaTafo-Lafa Dadhi, Sululta) ,West Shawa (Burayu, Holota),
East Shawa (Dukam and Galan) and South-west Shawa (Sabata).
II) The continuous horizontal growth and development of Finfine for the last decades to
the surrounding areas has claimed enormous amount of rural agricultural land from the vicinity.
The further pressure it has put on the neighbouring Oromia region has now come to the point
where such expansion is thought destroying the rural countryside due to different facets of
developments that the city is not able to accommodate. One of such pressures is the lack of
spaces for residential houses for the ever increasing size of population of the city. There are also
space requirements for other developments coming out from the main city (for industries, land
for new housing estates, and so many others).
In general, the major development pressures prevailing speeding up the transformation of
landscape in the fringe areas of Finfine with special reference to the three study sites includes;
Population size is highly increasing in the fringe areas, Land conversion and land loss to urban
activities is, competition over land for commercial activities (services like hotels, supermarkets,
recreations and others), large hectares of land in all the study areas are given for industries,
mushrooming of flower farming in the wider metropolitan region of Addis Ababa, there is huge
land market operating in the study areas where both the government and the informal markets are
actively operating, real estate development and speculative activities, shift in occupation from the
side of the former farmers, but dozens of them being still in confusion, resources are under threat,
especially land and open spaces including the rura1 ecosystem.