A shoe cobbler in the Cherqos area clenches tightly at the needle, keeping the dying trade afloat. The ragged tent protecting the vendor from the scorching sun above will soon be a relic if the City administration's beautification campaign is fully realised. Addis Abeba has represented a centre of commerce and culture for the multitude that flock every year from all corners of Ethiopia in its 137-year history. With the informal sector accounting for nearly half of the capital's employed and constantly galloping inflation rates, the timeliness of the spirited campaign to clean the city has raised eyebrows.  

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