Informal Residential Land Regularization in Addis Ababa: The Nature, the Processes and Its Consequences
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Date
2007-07
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Addis Abeba university
Abstract
The excessive accumulation of slums and informal unplanned residential houses in the
capital city of Addis Ababa has been the brutal problem/or the proper growth of the city.
The city being one of the places where the highest quantities sub standard and informal
residential houses are found, it seems that the task of achieving sustainable urban expansion
is by far beyond the reach of the prevailing tactics. On top of the long-standing experience
of the city 10 have shelter for its dwellers informally, the current natural urban population
pressure and rural urban migration places the foremost obstacle in achieving the intended
objective in the provision of decent housing for the inhabitants.
As it has been observed, the experience of squalling on various peripheral areas of the city
is increaSing at an alarming rate Fom time to time, which in turn adds up on the stocks of
urban problem prevailing in the city. The City government has been taking various
measurers including demolishing of the informal residential houses so as to minimize and
thereby control the problem. Task forces were already on duty in each decentralized
kebeles, in each of the ten sub cities to monitor and report to the concerned body.
Parts of this study therefore, focus, on the measures the city government has devised for the
regularization o/the old informal residential houses in the city. Accordingly, the study
allempted to indicate the nature, process and consequences of the informal residential land
regularization in Addis Ababa. Why did the city government encouraged to formulate
"Regulation Number One "? Has the policy benefited both the policy makers and the
dwellers as intended? And what were the long run consequences of such a policies on the
livelihood of the urban community? These and similar issues were thoroughly discussed in
the study.
Substantial informal residual holdings have been regularized. However majority of the
respondents were st ill complaining of the process and cost involved. Most importantly the
executive officials at the sub city levels seem to be unhappy on their duty. The formidable
implication, however, is that the majority 0/ the respondents believe that similar
regularizatian programs will continue in the future. The striking event here is that the
regularization measure which has the intention of curbing informal selliement rather
seemed to induce filrther informality
Development of inclusive land use and urban housing policy through appropriate research
is inevitable, for the proper urban growth and sustainable urban development
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Keywords
Informal Residential