Addis Ababa loosely translated means a ‘new flower’. The capital city of Ethiopia is indeed blooming and very fast, Addis is also known as the home to the African Union, formerly the Organization of African Union (OAU).
Addis Ababa
According to Wikipedia, Addis Ababa is the largest city in Ethiopia
with a population of over 2.5 million people quoting the 2007 census. As
a chartered city it has the status of both a city and a state, is often
called the capital of Africa because of its historical diplomatic and
political significance to the continent.
Founded in 1887, this sprawling, hospitable city is situated at the
foothills of the Entoto Mountains. Being my third visit to Addis Ababa I
was determined to try and see as much as I could, despite the tight
schedule I had. There is much to do and lots to see if one is visiting
for pleasure and or business plus lots of souvenirs from the signature
white Ethiopian dresses with intricate trimmings to fashionable outfits
mostly from Italy.
The city has a flourishing cultural life, and Ethiopians are proud of
their music. Not forgetting Injera, a large, soft, pancake like, which
forms the basis of most Ethiopian meals, served with a communal tray
with accompanying array of spicy sauces. What amazed me most as I was
being driven to the hotel from the airport is the construction boom
going on. There is lots of construction from skyscrapers to condors and
roads.
I couldn’t help being fascinated at the speed at which the city is
growing in modernity compared to other African cities. I mean, really I
am used to seeing a building or two going up here and there in Dar es Salaam but this is different, construction is everywhere around the Ethiopian capital.
No wonder some people speculate that in several years to come, Addis
will be the New York of Africa, with eye catching architectural
buildings. The structural transformation of the city, the skyscrapers
going up; each with unique architectural designs left me awe struck and
it’s not just real estate that’s booming, but there is also the
construction of a light rail around the city being carried out by a
Chinese railway company, the likes of those found in European countries.
It is no wonder that Addis Ababa has made it to the top ten as one of
the best cities to visit in 2013, published by the Lonely Planet, a
global travel guidebook. The Ethiopian capital is number nine on the
list with Puerto Iguazu of Argentina coming number 10, while San
Francisco, California and Amsterdam in the Netherlands came first and
second respectively.
Although Addis Ababa is growing at a fast rate economically, like in many other cities in African countries, Dar es Salaam
included, it still faces a number of problems including that of sewage.
Dirty and smelly water can be seen flowing freely in open ditches. This
is of course with exception of some areas such as the Bole area.
Public facilities and open fields are on the verge of extinction, just like in Dar es Salaam.
I did not see any open space and this was confirmed when I looked it up
in the Internet. It is a good thing then that the government is
repossessing open spaces that have been grabbed by greedy investors.
Mixing business with pleasure my colleagues and I decided to have
dinner outside the hotel I was staying just so I could have a glimpse of
Addis Ababa by night. After asking around for a place where we could
have beer and some food, we were directed to the Beer Garden.
Apparently the Beer Garden is very popular amongst foreigners and the
beer is served in five litre towers at the German bar. The beer which
is brewed by the establishment is served in either really tall glasses
or the five litre towers with a tap at the bottom.
There is the deep reddish coloured brew which has a higher alcohol
content compared to the coloured brew. Another interesting aspect of
Addis Ababa was the posters of the late Prime Minister Meles Zenewi who
passed away in August this year, are still lined up on billboards along
the streets and avenues, buildings, shops and in different postures,
with messages proclaiming their love for him and how they will carry his
mantle ahead to achieve his vision.
Its seems that despite having little tolerance for oppositions with
claims of having a poor human rights record, his people still adore him
and do not seem to be able to let go. Much as Ethiopians show respect
for their leader, I realised one morning on our way to the conference
centre that Ethiopians are rather religious.
I was amazed at how they profess their faith by touching holy
buildings or grounds and praying reverently with their heads covered.
Ethiopians would not pass a holy place, without touching, kissing or
kneeling down and saying a little prayer silently.
Addis Ababa, like in many African cities, has its share of beggars,
with children running along side you begging for money in their mother
tongues pointing at their mouths, meaning they want money to buy food or
something like that…and if you give one of them money, he or she goes
and calls others, who swarm around you almost tripping you as they all
beg for money.
By ROSE ATHUMANI, Tanzania Daily News
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