The investors had promised to create jobs for the youth and develop Addis Ababa by building industries, hotels, a media center and other complexes in the busy city which has over 4 million residents.
“All they did was make a fence around thousands square feet of land and left it for years. That is all they did. Instead of building the city, they gave the city a bad image, making it a place of waste collections,” said Tilahun, while explaining why 95 individuals and businesses lost their licenses.
Of the 412.6 hectares of land, 55 were associated with Mohammed International Development Research and Organization Companies (MIDROC), a private company that belongs to Ethiopian-born Saudi billionaire Mohammed Hussein al-Amoudi. In 2005, MIDROC leased about 33,000 square feet of land in the heart of the capital, agreeing to build a city center there but only evicted locals and built a huge fence round the land.
Prior to the lease revocation, MIDROC has had a coarse relationship with Addis Ababa residents who have accused the company of polluting the environment and refusing job opportunities to locals, leading to a protest in the Oromia region of the capital because of the fear of losing their farmlands to MIDROC.
This week alone, 19 Ethiopian government agencies and 18 companies related to African diplomats or governments also had their licenses revoked.
Way to go. This needs to be replicated in Zambia. Why should we allow a foreign investor like Salama to demarcate investment land into plots and then sell at a huge price. Why are we ever asleep. Very painful indeed ngawapishamo pen
It is simple. Partnership works. The people HH sold our mines did this too. HH and his friends signed agreements without putting in exist costs and the buyers were smarter than CHILDISH so they began stripping our equipment and relocating. Ethiopia did well. If Malawi did it, we can also “DID” it. Just don’t allow HH to be a part of it HAGAIN. Once bitten, twice shy.
Way to go Ethiopia. Our turn will come too. All these foreigners illegally obtaining land from corrupt PF will one day lose it to a new government. I can’t wait to see that happen. We’ll have our land back. By then Lungu will have run away to eSwatini. You’ll be on your own.
Fyonse kukopa, if this was done in Zambia you same people will be condemning the government saying why did they give it to these people in the first place. Now since it’s been done some where else it’s ok. Upnd you have a huge problem may you never rule Zambia. You’re a huge shame.
Chinese “infestors” are buying land in Zambia, let it idle for 2 years then demarcate it for resale at exorbitant prices to locals.
Small plots in Lusaka are now going for ridiculous prices which are unaffordable to locals.
Towards ma elections thats when pf will replicate this, no thinking as of now.
past makeni bonaventure old farmer is off loading an acre at zmw450000 over 20 pieces
Good one Ethiopia, get bk what’s yours
Very true Sharon, am vey cross on Ndola copper refinery which was under Roan mine was sold at $60m and machinery equipment worth over $300m stripped off and the buyers left. HH signed and sealed that deal…! what a shame!! Africa twasebana.
I watched luapula investors bn queezed by ecl. way to go..thumbs up ethopia