Gode The City of The Zack

[Kamaavi]

Gode is the former capital of Somali Region, and as such it is a large and busy urban settlement with well-developed infrastructure. The town centre has electricity, piped water,a hospital, clinics and pharmacies, primary and secondary schools, and an agricultural college. Flights to and from Jigjiga and Addis Ababa leave daily from Gode airport. The Shabelle river runs past the town, providing water for a large-scale irrigated farming scheme.

 

On the other hand, Gode is also home to thousands of former pastoralists who live in informal settlements on the outskirts of town, having migrated to Gode after losing all their livestock during the drought of 1999/2000. Almost all livelihood activities recorded in our household survey (n=55/64, or 86 per cent)are practised by the 100 households interviewed in Gode town, but no single activity or cluster of activities is dominant. This partly reflects the greater range of livelihood options available in urban areas, in contrast to rural areas. Farming, however, is not practised by any members of this sample, and only a few households own any animals.

 

On the other hand, one household in five interviewed has a member with a salaried job – a

higher proportion even than the larger town of Jigjiga. Several people are employed as

construction workers, carpenters, restaurant workers and housemaids. Four young men are in military service. As is common in towns, the informal sector is an important source of employment and income. There are artisans making baskets and mats, tailors, potters and a woman who makes jewellery. Many families earn income from renting out rooms. Various services are provided in Gode town, including henna decorators (women who paint henna patterns on other women’s hands and feet), barbers, hairdressers, tailors, musicians, marriage counsellors and traditional healers. Three individuals admitted to begging for a living – no beggars were found in rural areas. Many wealthy businessmen and businesswomen live in Gode, running wholesale or retail stores, and trading locally or long distance. A wide range of commodities are traded by members of our surveyed households, including clothes and shoes, livestock and livestock products, food crops and other food stuffs (sugar, flour, etc.), “contraband” (such as electronic goods smuggled from the Middle East) and khat. In recent years, the Government of Ethiopia has clamped down on contraband trading (see Chapter 4), which has affected businesspeople in Gode. Nonetheless, average incomes in our Gode sample are significantly higher than incomes in any rural district, and second only to incomes in Jigjiga town.

[The Zack]

Kamavi, wow man! This is very beautiful sxb, thanks for sharing!

 

Wait till we kick the Woyane out, the city will even get a lot better.

[Jacaylbaro]

Is it Gode or Godey ??? ,,,

[The Zack]

The correct name is Godey, the xabashis call it Gode coz wey carrab la'yihiiin

[Kool_Kat]

Are you saying Kamavi waa xabashi? (isku di.r lee iga tahay yaah)

[Fiqikhayre]

Back in the days we used to call it god-eey, god meaning trench/hole and eey meaning dog'.

 

Dog trench or hole.

[Kamaavi]

Originally posted by Kool_Kat:

Are you saying Kamavi waa xabashi? (isku di.r lee iga tahay yaah)

Mayee Tigre aa reer abti ii ah. Iska waran habo?

[Kamaavi]

Originally posted by Jacaylbaro:

Is it Gode or Godey ??? ,,,

You could ask many more important stuffs,,,,, about the city..... ,,,

[Kamaavi]

Originally posted by The Zack:

Kamavi, wow man! This is very beautiful sxb, thanks for sharing!

 

Wait till we kick the Woyane out, the city will even get a lot better.

Most welcome, The Zack. It's my fav city. I've planned to visit it soon I'A.