The Ethiopian Millennium Fever:
Whose Development and Whose Celebrations?

By Eddie H.B'Id-mariam

When I came back to Addis Ababa early this year after a two years’ absence, I could not but marvel at the developments that were taking place. In the last couple of years many changes have been effected and the infrastructure is developing at a very high speed. There are many gigantic buildings being erected not only by the government institutions but also by the private sector. Bole road alone is witnessing a flourishing entertainment and leisure industry not to mention the uncountable number of restaurants. The same also applies to many quarters of the city especially in the vicinity of international communities. Cinemas, night clubs, internet cafés, boutiques, supermarkets, etc are all full of products from all over ranging from Italian panettones to Congolese soukous CDs. Mobile phones, which were a rare luxury only reserved for a few lucky ones (economic cream of society) have now become common on the streets thanks to the bursting Saudi Arabian electronic market. Commercial buildings, hotels, schools and tertiary institutions most of which carry the name ‘college’ are mushrooming everywhere. The government is seriously building huge flats to accommodate Addis Ababa’s growing population and to do away with the slum ambience that has characterized Addis Ababa for decades with “korokoro” structures. Old buildings have had a visible uplift and many roads are being significantly upgraded besides the brand new ones which are coming up to accompany the famous ring road. The ring road itself is not yet complete but what has already been achieved is more than what could have been the dream of Addis Ababa dwellers. Zebra Crossings are massively present even if they mean nothing to most drivers and pedestrians. A city that had not experienced traffic jams in all its history is now trying to cope with the amount of traffic rendering the roads almost impassable especially during the early morning and evening hours. Is Addis Ababa economically booming? I am tempted to answer with a huge “Yes” but wait a minute. To whom do these “developments” belong?

Many city dwellers contend that the millennium fever has much to do with these developments. Come September 12th, Addis Ababa shall indeed be a magnificent city! All the above may indicate that certainly Ethiopia, or at least Addis Ababa, is on the right development track. But would it be out of place to ask the question: at whose cost? Could one say that people are generally happier than a few years ago? Many people have been displaced by these new infrastructures like roads and buildings, and this is not yet over. The government has embarked on an ambitious project to house the displaced people who number about two millions and above. Will that dream come true? Time will tell. Even though the displaced poor will be “given” these flats to live in, it is difficult to imagine that they will do so if they have the possibility of renting them out and rather live in some squatters they will cheaply erect somewhere in the periphery. And if they all face the same choices, surely more slum ambiences will appear from that periphery! In fact it is the emerging middle class that will eventually befit from the project.
The number of children, single mothers and time-honoured beggars on the street is not decreasing but on the contrary, growing. Neither is the number of young girls walking the streets at night in pursuit of the daily bread. It is here that the relationship between diseases, hunger and poverty that unfortunately affect the majority of the population is more articulate. Although Addis Ababa still rightly boasts of peace and security among its population, a fact that cannot be denied and a phenomenon envied by many African countries, the social conundrum although inarticulate could prove to be disastrous if not catastrophic especially in the long run.

Are we sitting on a silent explosion that will take us unaware? Each fraction of society needs its share of the national cake. Any fraction of society that is denied that share and feels the pangs of rebuff and becomes conscious of that fact may devise means to claim it. Dialogue is often the most rational and realistic way to negotiate around such contentions. But the dynamics of power do not often take this into consideration. And what maybe an issue of dialogue may easily slide into violence and anarchy. And once that level is reached, it is very hard to come back on the negotiating table simply because often violence breeds more violence. The proliferation of small arms, especially the AK 47 which can cost as cheap as 60$ in Somalia, Kenya, Sudan and Eritrea, all of which are Ethiopia’s neighbours, can be a cause of concern. Surely, the poor masses constitute a good fraction of society’s population. Though silent, especially because they are powerless, they are not immune to the dynamics of the law of the jungle.

The government through its strategies, policies and various instruments can foresee the potential social tensions and try to devise means of defusing them before even they emerge. Government policies cannot afford to side-step social analysis and just implement what may seem pleasing to political or economic platforms. If it did, it should as well assume responsibility for any consequences that may have adverse effects on the political and economic life of the country. Not including “the people” who constitute the majority of Addis Ababa’s population into the socio-economic equation of these developments is tantamount to awaiting a quiet but a very devastating tsunami whose effects may only facilitate us in imitating the social, economic and political mayhem that characterizes our neighbouring countries, if not more. I am not saying that the poor majority should be given free housing and economic benefits by the government. I am not saying that the constructions should be stopped, that night clubs should be closed and all the street girls be taken to jail. I am talking about accommodating the poor not just in the new flats being built ‘for them’ but in the various policies undertaken by governments, parastatal bodies and other civil organizations in operation. I am of the strong view that accommodating the youths most especially, who constitute the majority of the poor population, in all socio-economic policies will have positive returns over all.

Many city dwellers contend that the millennium fever has much to do with these developments. Come September 12th, Addis Ababa shall indeed be in a magnificent city! And thank God, the people’s religious allegiance has not been touched. Muslims and Orthodox alike, we continue to wake up at the early morning calls for prayer by the gurus, especially during the holy days of obligation. Now that the millennium fever is high on the agenda, the gurus’ morning appeals are even stronger. They just remind us: let’s celebrate come what may! Reminiscent of Martin Luther King, as we await the Millennium celebrations let us continue to dream too that one day the poor and rich will afford to look into each other’s eyes in all honesty and pride. As we prepare to celebrate the millennium, let us not forget where we are coming from nor consider where we are going as a nonessential matter. Peace to all.


May 4, 2007