Compensation for Expropriation in Ethiopia and the UK: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

Land expropriation, also known as compulsory purchase in the UK, is a
common practice both in the UK and Ethiopia. The purpose of this paper is to
compare and contrast the valuation systems and compensation methods used
in Ethiopia and the UK in a bid to establish the levels of compensation paid to
those who have lost their property in the interest of society. The method
employed is micro-comparison, as opposed to macro-level comparison which
focuses on the general aspect of comparison of two legal systems. The
findings of this study show that the principle of compensation as “the full
recompense of the property lost†has been observed in the UK, while this has
not been the case in Ethiopia, mainly because the land has no value to the holder.