Hundreds of homesteads in three districts along Addis Abeba’s Banteyiketu River face demolitions to make way for a beautification project that has yet to be designed.

City authorities have thus far torn down no less than 46 houses in the Afincho Ber area of Arada District. They plan to expand the demolitions to four additional weredas in the District, putting more than 150 households in sight.

Stretching 27.5Km from Mount Entoto to the Akaki-Qality District, Banteyiketu is one of two major rivers that cut through the heart of Addis Abeba, flowing past some of the capital’s most densely populated areas. It has been years since the riverside rehabilitation project, dubbed “Beautifying Sheger” was launched. The project aspires to reinvent the capital’s image by developing public spaces along the Banteyiketu and Kebena rivers.

The rivers have long been used as waste disposal and sewerage outlets, exposing them and the settlements along their banks to severe pollution. According to a study conducted by the UNDP, close to 32,000 households – mostly informal settlements – and 2,500 businesses are along the riversides.

Friendship Park was constructed as part of the project's first phase, resting on a 27hct plot on Taitu St., across the Sheraton Addis. First Highway, a state-owned China Construction Company subsidiary, completed the Park last year for 50 million dollars. The project’s second phase, which kicked off in September 2020, comprises two segments: The construction of a science and technology museum, a children’s amusement park, and a sports centre on 18hct of land on Menelik II Avenue, adjacent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Chinese Jiangsu Nantong Sanjian Construction Group carries out the work for 55 million dollars.

The second segment focuses on rehabilitating the Banteyiketu River, which has seen the recent demolitions around Afincho Ber and Eri Bekentu areas.

City officials had pledged minimal expropriation and relocation along the riversides when the Beautifying Sheger project was launched. Nonetheless, the demolitions are taking place even before the design work for the development is approved.

“The design work can be done in parallel with the demolition,” said Menelik Getaneh, a civil engineer at the Urban Beautification & Green Development Bureau.

The Bureau under Tsigereda Worku handles land preparation and hiring contractors and consultants. Tsigereda was appointed to head the Bureau last October when Adanech Abiebie, mayor of Addis Abeba, formed a new cabinet.

Residents along the riverbank say they had not received notification before their homesteads were torn down.

Getachew Belay’s family of five has lived in the area for more than eight years. His two-bedroom home was less than 30m from the riverbank before it was demolished last month.

Yehualashet Tamiru, a legal consultant and researcher, observes failure to notify households before demolition constitutes a procedural irregularity.

“The city should compensate residents who sustain losses for no notification,” he said.

“My house was demolished two days after I received a notice,” said a resident who has since relocated to a condominium unit.