The local government elections are inching closer to an end as the exercise goes to the district level, the highest elective local administrative office in the country. Having started on October 23 at the village level, the exercise aimed at bringing in new leaders in the local administrative entities that will hold office for the next five years. So far, the voting exercise has been concluded at the village, cell and sector levels, according to a statement issued by the National Electoral Commission (NEC). On Wednesday, November 9, delegates representing special interest groups – women, youth and persons with disabilities elected their executive committees at the district level. The committee for each group will be made up of seven members and the coordinator will join the district advisory council. The next election will be for five district women councillors who must make up 30 percent of the advisory council. This exercise will be conducted on Saturday, November 13. The exercise will be conducted by secret paper ballot, with members of the Electoral College ticking the photo of their preferred candidate, according to instructions from the electoral commission. The colleges will constitute members of advisory councils of each of the sectors that make up the district. On November 16, eight directed-elected councillors will be elected to each district council. The exercise will be closed by the election of the Executive Committee members of the districts (mayor and the two vice mayors; one for social affairs and the other for economic development). These will be elected from among district councillors and will be voted by the sector advisory councils plus members of the executive committees for special interest groups. On the same day, the district advisory councils will vote their bureau (president, Vice-president and the secretary), putting an end to a four-week exercise.
