About

Chalachew Dagnew Kebede

First Deputy Mayor of Gondar City, Ethiopia

Chalachew Dagnew Kebede was appointed as the First Deputy Mayor of Gondar City in September 2024, placing him at the helm of the great Ethiopian city that is also known as the Camelot of Africa. Kebede has long been a part of the City’s workforce; he has served as the spokesperson, Gondar City Culture and Tourism Bureau Head, and City Public Relations and Organization Chief Advisor; roles that gave him a holistic perspective of the challenges and opportunities facing the city and its residents. The historical significance of Gondar city is an invaluable part of its development plans and this has led to a renewed effort to revitalise and strengthen the tourism sector, with stakeholder engagement being central to this process. Through the mayor’s leadership, there are numerous bulk infrastructure projects unfolding in the city, as well as ongoing calls for investment to drive sustainable development. Similarly important to the city’s administration has been the promotion of transparency and an active citizenry, which has included taking residents on site visits to some of the development projects so that they can see progress first hand.

Mayor Kebede played a pivotal role in ensuring that the recent annual Ephiphany celebrations in Gondar, that usually attract an estimated one million guests, were held in a peaceful manner.