CANDOR IN CULTURE

In-Picture

CRAVING CANE

On the bustling Ras Damtew Street, opposite Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where many expectant mothers visit for pregnancy follow-ups, a pregnant woman pauses beside a sugarcane vendor, surrendering to one of pregnancy's timeless cravings. As she waits for her change with a man by her side, the simple roadside delicacy becomes more than just a snack; it is a fleeting indulgence in a journey shaped by anticipation, changing appetites and the quiet demands of motherhood...

VINTAGE GRIT

A blue Lada taxi makes its way through the busy Kazanchis intersection along Zewditu Street, carrying more than it was ever designed to bear, with crates and jerry cans strapped to its roof. Once a symbol of private transport for the country's more affluent residents, the Russian-made Lada later became a familiar blue taxi, serving as one of Addis Abeba's most common shared rides before e-taxis reshaped the city's transport landscape. Decades on, a handful still cling to the streets, their worn...

CAPPED QUEUE

Before the city's workday begins, dozens of lessors and tenants converge at the Nifas Silk Lafto District Woreda 6 Bureau around Mauritius Street to renew lease agreements that have lapsed after two years. Some began waiting as early as 4:00 AM, hoping an early arrival would shorten a process that has already demanded hours of waiting. Under the newly introduced framework, rent increments are capped at 11.25pc, a ceiling determined to balance adjustments for lessors while easing the burden on te...