The Oxford City Council has announced that Councillor Chewe Munkonge is set to become the next Lord Mayor of Oxford, marking a historic milestone as the city prepares to appoint its first Black holder of the largely ceremonial office.
The nomination, confirmed at a council meeting on 23 March, was made by council leader Susan Brown, who also named Louise Upton as deputy Lord Mayor and Linda Smith as Sheriff for the 2026/27 civic year. Both Munkonge and Upton remain subject to re-election in May before formally taking up their posts.
If confirmed, Munkonge will assume a role steeped in centuries of tradition, representing the city at more than 300 engagements annually, ranging from royal visits and the Remembrance Sunday service to community initiatives and charitable events. He has chosen Sobell House and St Theresa as his official charities for the year.
The transition is due to take place during Oxford’s traditional “mayor making” ceremony at the Town Hall in May, when Upton, the outgoing Lord Mayor, will hand over the chains of office. The occasion will be marked by the ringing of bells at Carfax Tower, continuing a long-established civic ritual.
Born in Zambia, Munkonge moved to the UK in 2003 and settled in Oxford in 2008. He holds an MBA from Oxford Brookes University and works as a central administration officer for a local charity. First elected in 2014, he represents Quarry and Risinghurst ward and currently serves as cabinet member for a healthy, fairer Oxford, as well as the council’s small business champion.
His expected appointment reflects both the growing diversity of modern Oxford and the enduring ceremonial significance of the role, which dates back to the early 13th century. The city’s first recorded mayor, Laurence Kepeharme, served between 1205 and 1209, while the title of Lord Mayor was granted in 1962 by Elizabeth II.
According to Oxford City Council, the position remains a symbolic bridge between Oxford’s historic institutions and its contemporary communities—an office Munkonge is now poised to redefine.
Renowned globally as the home of the University of Oxford, one of the world’s oldest universities, Oxford combines deep academic heritage with a diverse and evolving civic identity—context that gives added resonance to this landmark appointment.