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In an effort to position the city as an “East African tourism center,” reports have emerged that significant portions of land in Bishoftu are being leased to investors from the United Arab Emirates. Residents say they have been instructed to vacate their properties within a week.
“We have heard that up to 80 percent of the city’s land will be given to Emirati investors. Even small house renovations are now prohibited by the city administration, with officials telling us, ‘You won’t stay here for long,'” residents stated.
Gebre Dabi, an official from Bishoftu’s city municipality, acknowledged the rising concerns, saying, “As a member of the city’s investment board, I have no information about such large-scale investment deals.” He suggested that the ban on house renovations might be linked to efforts to standardize housing infrastructure in the city.
Despite this, many residents remain anxious about their future. Long-term residents, some of whom have lived in Bishoftu for over 15 years, revealed that they were informed the land had been leased to Dubai investors, and they were told to leave within a week.
In response to the evictions, compensation payments to affected farmers have reportedly begun. Government officials have held public meetings, promising 105 square meters of land to residents who can provide aerial maps of their properties.
Markings have also been made on properties, with farmers’ houses painted green and other residences painted red, indicating those slated for removal.
However, neither the Oromia regional government nor the federal government has officially disclosed the scale of the land leases or the terms agreed upon with the Emirati investors, leaving residents with unanswered questions and growing uncertainty about their future.
