𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐚

First Posted on X (Twitter) August 13, 2024
https://x.com/AlMariam1/status/1823260879535612364

During the official opening of the Megenagna-CMC Road Corridor development project, PM Abiy said, “The corridor from Megenagna to CMC was quite a bit more challenging than the rest.”

PM Abiy speaks modestly and prudently. Of course, the man who has kept his shoulders to the wheel and nose to the grindstone of the Addis Ababa Corridor Development Project and keeps on plugging away day and night, 24/7, will never complain about the enormous challenges he has to overcome to get the job done.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐚-𝐂𝐌𝐂 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭.

I know firsthand because I have followed the development of Megenagna-CMC corridor from the first day the earthmoving machines showed up. For nearly 4 months, I kept a special eye on that development stopping along the roadside from time to time to do my own personal “inspection” of the project and to chit-chat with some of the workers about the progress being made.

From day 1, I was curious what could possibly be done to transform an area that has been left to deteriorate from decades-long official neglect, callousness and indifference. In less than 4 months working 24/7, what was once a shantytown corridor of makeshift stores, dwellings and structures with cracked, crumbling and dangerously uneven sidewalks was transformed into a beautiful tree lined boulevard with flower beds and streamlined walkway complete with tiles for the visually impaired and specially prepared bike lanes. It is so wonderful to see thousands of people walking comfortably up and down that corridor from dawn to dusk every day.

The area behind the CMC Compound (the exact location where PM Abiy gave an interview during the opening of the corridor) was a huge hole in the ground, probably 50+ deep and at least 100 meters wide, abandoned by a real estate developer and for over a decade remained an eyesore and an imminent threat to public health and safety.

Until four months ago, that hole in the ground resembled an abandoned open pit mine. (See video). Right next to the hole in the ground was a chicken farm of sorts with a large coop housing thousands of caged chickens whose feces stank the neighborhood to high heavens. The whole area was an unmitigated public nuisance and a clear and imminent danger to public health and safety. Never in my wildest imagination did I expect a decrepit, decaying and run-down shantytown to be transformed into a magnificent boulevard of tree-lined streets adorned with plants and clusters of flower beds in shades of red, pink, blue, and purple.

As my archived video footage attached herewith shows, it is no exaggeration to say the Megenagna-CMC Road Corridor development project (as well as the others) is nothing less than a stunning construction project for an urban renaissance. The corridor PM Abiy talked about as “presenting a bit of challenge” has undergone a miraculous transformation. (See video below.)

Today, that same open pit and chicken farm area (the exact location where PM Abiy stood to announce the opening of the corridor) has been transformed into a beautiful public park with manicured lawns, flower beds, smooth concrete walkways, playgrounds for children, a mini football field for kids and a magnificent fountain in the middle along with resplendent lighting that sparkle throughout the park at night. There is also river that passes on the edge of the park which eventually will serve as an additional recreational attraction.

Wherever and whenever possible, I make it my duty to personally visit and see for myself infrastructure and megaprojects in Ethiopia. That is because I believe seeing with my own eyes is believing. To all my diaspora friends, supporters and followers, I send out a warm invitation. I say to them come and see the miracle that is taking place in our New Addis Ababa, our “City Upon a Hill.” Come and walk the tree lined streets, talk to the friendly Addis Ababans from the shoeshine boys to the three-piece suited business man. Ask them what they think of their city. I will bet you my bottom dollar that any random Addis Ababan will tell you they the New Addis. Or if you were to ask me what I think of the New Addis, I will tell you, “Walk with me. Drive with me. Let me show you around. Then you tell me what you think of the New Addis.”

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐬, 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐝𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐲.

To those who badmouth our beautiful city without ever setting foot on her blessed ground, I tell them come and visit, see with your own eyes the massive development that is taking place in the city, walk the streets, talk to Addis Ababans and then pass judgment. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡- 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐚 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 – 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬, 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐛𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡.

There is no power on earth that will stop Addis Ababa from being a great, if not the greatest, African city. Come and enjoy Addis. You have nothing to lose by visiting except your illusions and delusions about our “City Upon A Hill.” 𝐓𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚 𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬, 𝐈 𝐬𝐚𝐲, “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝, 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭. 𝐁𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲, 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬.

Come and let’s join hands and MAKE ETHIOPIA GREAT AGAIN. Come and lets join hands and MAKE ADDIS ABABA THE GREATEST CITY IN AFRICA. There is the “Renaissance Man,” the man learned in the arts, humanities, sciences and philosophy. The Renaissance in European history began in the Italian City of Florence (Firenze) or the City of Flowers. It was named to signify flowering, flourishing, and prosperity. Like Florence, Addis Ababa was also named to signify flowering, flourishing, and prosperity.

I believe Africa’s Renaissance has already begun in Addis Ababa or the City of New Flowers. There is a “Man for all seasons.” I believe that man to be Abiy Ahmed. There is also a “City for all Seasons.” I believe that city to be Addis Ababa. Come to Addis and let’s walk the talk on the beautiful New (New) Addis Ababa sidewalks.

A million thanks to our visionary and invictus prime minister Abiy Ahmed and resolute and steadfast Mayor of Addis Ababa Adanech Abibe. My special thanks and appreciation goes to the tens of thousands of young people and hundreds of engineers, administrators, peace officers and all others who worked and continue to work 24/7 on the Addis Ababa Corridor Project.

𝐈 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬. 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬, “𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐰.”

BEFORE AND AFTER VIDEO FOOTAGE. The “before” video is from my personal video archives of the Addis Ababa Corridor Project. Compare and behold the miraculous transformation of Megenagna-CMC Road Corridor. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞!

I am MEGA-MAAGA. Make Ethiopia Great Again. Make Addis Ababa Great Again.