Governing urban informality in an era of change: street trading in Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

This article examines the governance of informality in Ethiopia using the data collected during 2016 and March 2019 in Dire Dawa. Using emergent methods and based on data gathered using survey, key informant interviews, observation and examination of regulatory documents and institutions, it explores how the governance of informality operated and has changed in the wake of political and economic reforms sweeping the country. The city has applied decentralised, a piece of the bundle, approach in governing street trading by deploying denbaskebari, code enforcement, from the kebeles until the political change. But following the change, it has revised the regulation and started a centralised approach where denbaskebari deployed directly by the city municipality. The city's approach has been driven by the neoliberal perspective of the ideal city vision. City authorities having little understanding of livelihood trajectories of traders; and innovative approaches of governing; have employed repressive and tolerant approaches. Moreover, traders were not seen as part of the economic reform. It is therefore strongly recommended that the city should apply innovative approaches in governing urban public spaces where street traders’ livelihood depend.