5 Things that give Addis a dreadful look

Addis Ababa is one of our world top diplomatic cities. Being the spot for African Union and other international organizations, the city hosts various meetings that accompany top officials of many nations. However, this city is not up to the standard to be in charge of all these things when it comes towards the city's appearance and the services it provides.

It's obvious that it takes a huge investment to eradicate all the deficiencies the city has but from the current circumstances, I'm sure, the city's caretaker with dwellers can work out some of the problems regarding the city's appearance that seems minor tasks but could make a big difference.

1. Electric/Telephone Lines & Poles
The Electric/telephone lines are in poor shape that looks as if rats has messed them up. This disordered structure with the old wood pole gives the streets an awful image. Even though, such things are not witnessed in newly founded residential areas, the rest of the city has stick with this old and rubbish appearance. The city administration must give an appropriate consideration.


2. Clothes hanging on Condo's Balcony
This is one of the most horrible things to see when you're out in the city. Many people who leave in apartment or condominium hang their clothes on their respective balcony in order for the clothes to dry up. But my question is, when the apartment first designed, haven't the architect devised a place for such things, could be at the backyard, where residents can share. Because, the clothes adding up with the condominium's unattractiveness makes a whole ugly stuff, just standing in front of you to make you sick. Or if people do this for security reasons, an alternative method they should come up with rather than this that is tarnishing the city's class.

3. Bulky Fences surrounded by Greenery
Every villa house in the city has huge fences and moreover greenery such as trees surrounding it. Including my home, the same thing exists. I have learnt that during Emperor Haile Selassie I regime, villa houses used to have a very short and simple fences so that it wouldn't look heavy. But after the Derg regime, things turns up side down for a reason I don't know and since then, every house has a huge fence and sometimes, a lot of money being invested on it as a trend. And if you try to amend yours, you would just single out yourself from your area in which it doesn't make any difference. Such things should be of a similar mode among a specific residential area. A code must be set by the sub-city and apply them so that in that certain area, you will see a neat and corporate outlook.

4. Road Barriers
The barriers to partition narrow roads in the city are too old and most of them out of condition. And few of them that seems in a better condition are so packed with excess greenery. The trees and other plants make the street too heavy to ride on it. And some of the roads barriers are almost equal to the road size itself, which is really non-sense. This was an old mechanism in which it should be altered in our time. As, with the extra space, one can broaden the track or the pavement but instead, we see those ridiculous roads being restored (without any conversion). Roads neatness has a big impact on city's image.

5. Posters on Fences and Walls
I don't really understand to place posters on places where there are lots of posters being posted one over the other, where it looks so nasty. From advertising point of view, I don't know how the advertisers possibly think that pedestrians can view the posters, if it's not neat enough to attract. Ok maybe that could be how they play their business but, what about the look of the city? Every fence and wall your face turns to, you see countless posters that make you turn away quickly let alone to see what is written on it. If the city administrators set a board to put posters at certain places (such as bus and taxi stop) and if they regulate it well, we can get rid of such problems easily.

Nonetheless, I know it's easy to criticize than to act up on but, if you're not given the space to get involved and thus, only a room for criticism, what should you do? I would be happier if the piece I wrote was all about applauding the city caretaker had it fulfills all its responsibilities. However the fact remains, no, it's not doing it's best and it deserve evaluation.