r/Oromia

Hey everyone,

I’ve been spending a lot of time looking at satellite imagery and maps of expanding cities across Ethiopia lately, and the stark difference in urban planning between regions is pretty wild.

If you look at major growing cities in the Amhara region—especially places like Bahir Dar and the massive expansion zones in Debre Birhan—the development looks incredibly well-planned. You can clearly see a grid-like structure layout, pre-demarcated road networks, organized neighborhoods, and zoned spaces ready for infrastructure before the houses even go up. It seems like the local municipalities are actively steering the growth.

On the flip side, looking at rapidly expanding hubs in the Oromia region like Shashemene or Jimma, the vibe is completely different. The growth looks much more organic, chaotic, and resembles a sprawling unplanned settlement/slum dynamic. The houses are densely packed together with barely any layout, and there’s a noticeable lack of clear, wide transit corridors or public grid spacing.

It feels like this is setting up a massive headache for the future. We all know that retrofitting infrastructure (putting in wide roads, sewage, water lines, grid power) into already-built chaotic slums is insanely expensive and requires massive, messy expropriation/demolitions down the line. Meanwhile, building infrastructure on pre-planned vacant plots is so much cheaper and more sustainable.

Well all know you can’t vote the government out of office. But what’s the point of discussing an event with somebody who is not participating in that event?

There are so many young vibrant candidates participating in debates on a variety of important topics. Give them a chance to speak on the event that they are actually participating in.

Prof Marara had his time as opposition leader since 1995. He’s hiriyyaa Meles Zenawi as far as opposition goes. How can we criticize the govt for not opening political space, when 30+ year opposition don’t want to open up space for the next generation who are participating?

He says Waqo Gutu and Hussien Bune were among the leaders of the Somali Abbo liberation Front. Included is Adam Jillo- all three one of the icons of modern Oromo nationalism :-)

Another interesting information Lencho reveals is how Magarsa Bari helped translate between Mengistu and Adam Jillo when the latter was brought to Finfinne for investigation, suspected of working with Somalis. Magarsa Bari then was the deputy governor of Bale Kifle Hager. He would later become OLF’s first chairman.

I haven’t got a copy yet but from online sources of course the readers are fast forwarding to the Baaroo Tumsa part:

Leenco says when Damshoo brought him to the OLA camp at Maaya Qallo, east Hararge…he was greeted by Jaarraa, Mullis, and Baaroo. After the first general meeting, Baaroo privately told him “Leenco, there’s no place here for us.”

Not long after that Baaroo was killed by Badhoo Dachaasaa.

When everyone came to investigate, Jaarraa asked Leenco what happened. Leenco replied Badhoo shot Baaroo. Jaarraa replied “ifumaaf wal fixxanii!?”

Leenco says his blood boiled when Jaarraa said that.

My opinion:

The OLF in Finfinne and the OLF in the field were two different organizations. Badhoo went to the field with Mullis and Jaarraa in ‘76 when they first started building an army. They recruited him from Finfinne when they returned from Somalia where Jaarraa was imprisoned for 5 years.

Badhoo, Baaroo and Leenco knew each other from Finfinne. So when Jaarraa said ifumaaf wal fixxani, he probably meant the Finfinne group.

Whats clear is Leenco never trusted Jaarraa from the jump. And the feeling became mutual. And Badhoo didn’t trust Leenco and Baaro for whatever reason.

The early OLF was two organizations with intermixing memberships that eventually fell out over a foggy leadership dispute.

Maybe I’ll get the book and it will answer some questions but I doubt it.

Jawar’s TikTok garnered over 1 million followers within 24 hours of his opening it only to be closed due to mass reporting, I assume? He didn’t even do anything besides saying “TikTokii bane jiraa. Na hordofaa.”

Does being mass reported= ‘bad people’ as far as TikTok is concerned. I don’t use it, which makes this whole thing all the more confusing.