City Renews Ban on Housing Rent Hike, Evictions

Addis Ababa City Administration has extended its ban on housing rent hikes and eviction in Ethiopia’s capital.

Members of the city cabinet decided to extend the restriction during its regular session on social and economic issues on Thursday.

The decision was made as part of new measures aimed at easing the impact of raising the cost of living in the capital, the communications Office of the city said.

The resolution to restrict evictions and rent fee hikes was introduced in August 2021, with the possibility of extending it every 90 days.

The restrictions will remain in place until July 7, 2023.

Thursday’s cabinet meeting also took additional steps in a bid to address the impact of the growing inflation.

These involve the formation of a task force in charge of coordinating bringing in consumer goods and distribution in the city.

It has also approved an additional 470 million birr budget for the school feeding program.

The approval comes after the mothers who are providing the meal expressed frustration over the raising prices of basic commodities used for food preparations.

The latest fund will increase the amount of daily spending per student from 20 Birr to 23 Birr.

The meal program was officially launched in October 2021 as part of an effort to stop students at public junior schools from dropping out of education.

It currently provides free meals and school materials to over 300, 000 students in the capital.