9 December 2008
THE Local Government Association of Zambia (LGAZ) has supported Local Government and Housing Minister, Benny Tetamashimba's decision to postpone the mayoral elections.
LGAZ president Kabinga Mumena said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that there was nothing wrong with Mr Tetamashimba's deferring of the elections to allow for adequate preparations.
"There is nothing wrong with the postponement of the elections. We feel it was done in good faith so that we adequately prepare for the elections. The elections have to be done in an orderly manner and so the minister is in order," Mr Mumena said.
Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata had said that neither the Local Government minister nor the president had powers to defer the elections.
Among the preparation processes, Mr Mumena said was the installation of the mayor and deputy, which required sufficient financial resources for the ceremony to successfully take place.
He said that to put such resources together required sufficient time and LGAZ was therefore in full support of the decision taken by Mr Tetamashimba to defer the elections.
Mr Mumena said it was not strange that the elections had been postponed, considering that the initial calendar was disturbed following the death of president Levy Mwanawasa.
He said the tenure for the current mayors and council chairpersons came to an end in September but because of the illness and subsequent death of president Mwanawasa, the elections could not take place as scheduled.
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