For decades, Shemiz Tera in the Addis Ketema District of Atena tera has been a thriving hub for the garment trade, which has become a vital source of income for nearly 500 households.

The busy market was a fixture in the lives of traders and residents alike, until two weeks ago, when everything changed overnight. Authorities cleared the entire area under the cover of darkness, fencing off the land and scattering hundreds of small business owners.

The impact of the sudden eviction is immediate and painful. Among the displaced is a woman, nearly 65 years old, who now sits by the new fence with piles of unsold clothes around her. After losing the advance she paid for her stall, she waited every day for a repayment that has yet to come. Her story is one among many. Some traders who had organised themselves into share companies have filed formal complaints.

However, District authorities responded with a notice of vacancy, and as the situation escalated, the case was referred to the city’s Cabinet for further review. Despite these efforts, the authorities pressed ahead with the clearance.

The Shemiz Tera clearance is part of a broader wave of redevelopment across Addis Ababa, where city authorities are pushing ahead with large-scale projects. Over the past year, corridor developments costing 33 billion Br have transformed the urban landscape, displacing tens of thousands of households in neighbourhoods such as Qera, Piassa, Casanchis and Arada. While officials say the projects are part of the city’s modernisation plan, many relocated residents have ended up in condominium blocks on the outskirts of the city, where access to basic services like water, electricity, and roads is limited.

Traders say they have deep roots in Shemiz Tera, dating back to 1968, when they received permission from city authorities to operate in the area. Over the years, they organised themselves into two share companies, Tiret Commercial Building S.C. and Bekur Commercial Building S.C., representing more than 400 shareholders. To develop the area themselves, they raised nearly 150 million Br to build a mixed-use G+9 building.

According to Tiret S.C.’s General Manager, Getu Meruf, their development application began in 2017, but financial constraints stalled progress at first. After years of fundraising, they eventually secured 150 million Br, about a quarter of what was needed, only to see their plans halted without warning.

“How could they demolish the area in the middle of the night?” said Getu, looking baffled.

Traders say they were given three days’ notice before the demolition, a period they argue was too short to move operations that supported dozens of workers in each shop. Now, 160 of the members have filed a court case to challenge the city’s action, while also appealing to local officials for help.

“We should have been given priority in the development,” Getu insisted.

The situation has upended the lives of traders. Tigist Firew, who used to own a shop in Shemiz Tera, now works as a waitress in a coffee shop across from the fenced land.

“My life has turned upside down,” she said.