Kechene Medhanialem

The Kechene Sefer situated in the northern part of Addis Ababa, falls within the larger administrative region of the Gulele sub-city. Kechene is one of the oldest sefers in Addis Ababa. Initially, it started as a parish settlement and derived its name from the Kechene Debre Selam Medhanialem church, constructed by Lij Eyasu (Emperor Meneliks’s grandson) in 1913.[1] This church was among the first built during the early days of Addis Ababa’s development. The 102 Gasha[2]of land and various properties within the area were associated with Fitawrari Habte-Giorghis, a military commander during the reign of Menelik.[3]

Kechene has maintained its original architectural character and remains largely unchanged over the years. It is primarily inhabited by low-income residents and was historically home to Ethiopian Jewish communities as well as people from the southern regions who were involved in crafts like pottery and weaving. The Bantiketu River can be seen as a natural boundary on the eastern front of the sefer. On the south, Kechene is close to Arada Ghiorghis, the commercial heart of the old Addis Ababa. Additionally, it neighbours Dejach Wube Sefer, known for its vibrant nightlife. In contrast to the liveliness of these two neighbourhoods, kechene has maintained a relatively calm and predominantly residential atmosphere characterized by private as well as shared kebele gibi.

In contrast to most areas in Kechene, the immediate vicinity of kechene Medhanialem church exhibits active street life. The Church remains at the core of Kechene, enveloped by various commercial activities. This is partly due to a bustling traffic junction nearby, teeming with street life. As one of the oldest Christian Orthodox churches in Addis Ababa, Kechene Medhanialem enjoys popularity and boasts a robust congregation, contributing to the vibrant activity on the adjacent streets.

[1] ወልደ ቂርቆስ፤መርስዔ ኅዘን, የሀሐያኛው ክፍለዘመን መባቻ፣ የዘመን ታሪክ ትዝታዬ ካየሁትና ከስማሁት, Second Edition (Addis Ababa: Addis Ababa University Press, 2018).

[2] A Gasha equals 30 – 40 Hectare

[3] Haile Gabriel Dagne, “The Establishment of Churches in Addis Ababa,” in Proceedings of The International Symposium on the Centenary of Addis Ababa, ed. Ahmed Zekaria, Bahru Zewde, and Taddese Beyene (Addis Ababa: Institute of Ethiopian Studies, Addis Ababa University, 1986), 57–78.