Inauguration of MMDAs rescheduled to February 12

The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD) has rescheduled the nationwide inauguration of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to February 12 this year.

A letter signed by the Chief Director of the MLGDRD, Amin Abdul-Rahaman, said “we wish to inform that the date for the inauguration of the District Assemblies has been rescheduled to Monday, February 12, 2024.”

“Further arrangements for the inauguration will be communicated in due course,” it said.

The inauguration was initially scheduled for yesterday, February 6, 2024, but it had to be rescheduled as it coincided with the reconvening of Parliament and would, therefore, affect Members of Parliament's attendance at the inauguration of the MMDAs they form a part, a source at the MLGDRD intimated.

In an earleir letter on January 22 and signed by the ministry's Chief Director, Mr Abdul-Rahaman, February 6 was scheduled for the inauguration following successful District Level Elections held in December last year.

It also directed all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Coordinating Directors (MMDCDs) to ensure smooth operations in all MMDAs.

"Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Coordinating Directors (MMDCDs) are thus directed to hold the fort and ensure smooth operations in all MMDAs until new assembly members are sworn into office and all assemblies are duly inaugurated," it said.

"All regional ministers are kindly requested to facilitate the successful inauguration of MMDAs in their regions," it said.

In a consequent event, the MMDAs are expected by the directives to lead the swearing-in ceremony of all 6,215 elected assembly members across the 259 MMDAs in the country to officially commence their mandate to ensure the smooth and effective discharge of their duties in their various electoral areas.  

District Level Elections

Of the 66,257 candidates who contested in the district assembly elections held in December last year, 18,755 were assembly member candidates, while 47,502 were unit committee candidates according to statistics sourced from the Electoral Commission.

Out of the 18,755 candidates, 6,215 were elected to serve in the 259 MMDAs, in accordance with section 5 (1) (b) Local Government Act, 2016 (Act 936) which states that "A District Assembly shall consist of one person from each electoral area within the district elected by universal adult suffrage in accordance with regulations made for the purpose by the Electoral Commission".

For the unit committee members, 31,075 were elected out of the 47,502, given that each electoral area has five unit committee members.