Mayors’ term office comes to an end December:  Elections to be held

Mayors’ term of office, including that of hard working Noel Chalamanda of Blantyre City comes to an end in December.

Local government ministry’ spokesperson MuhlabaseMughogho confirmed all positions of mayor will be up for grabs after December.

“The laws provide that the tenure of office of mayors is two and half years so yes, their term of office comes to an end in. December,” she said.

She said incumbent holders of office will be free to stand again for re-election.

However, the term of office for chairpersons of councils comes to an end in July after two years in office.

She said after July, elections will be held to elect new office holders.

But the term of office of all ward councillors still remains five years and they will be expected to vacate office in 2019.

Out of all the mayors, the Blantyre City Mayor Chalamanda has been very outstanding, improving the face of Blantyre and initiating novel projects that has put the city back to its old glory.

The decision to bring down old and dilapidated buildings has however met a set back after building owners obtained a court order restraining the council from bringing down the buildings.

Ruling Democratic Progressive Party is strategising to have the majority and probably mayor in December in the Malawi Congress Party dominated Lilongwe City Council by buying off independent and MCP ward councillors.

So far three MCP ward councillors and one independent councillor have defected to the DPP at the council.