A MUNICIPAL councillor who was re-elected for a second term with the highest number of votes in the first round of voting in National Elections 2022 says he is going to ignore calls to seek the top job.
Ahmed Al Meghawi won from Muharraq Governorate Constituency Seven (Arad) with 8,589 votes, which was 80.26 per cent of the 10,702 valid votes cast.
His two closest rivals polled 1,145 and 968 votes, while 533 ballots were declared invalid.
The first round of voting in parliamentary and municipal council elections was held last Saturday.
“There are calls for me to become the chairman of Muharraq Municipal Council, but I’d rather focus on plans to fix and repair dilapidated homes and push for proper infrastructure projects as promised in my campaign agenda,” Mr Al Meghawi told the GDN yesterday.
“I don’t want to waste time sitting in a luxurious office signing papers; I have always been a field man.
“A desire to help people is why I joined the council in 2018,” he said, adding that sitting at a desk will affect his ability to connect with his constituents.
“Administrative work is time-consuming and will hamper my ability to respond in the quickest and best way possible to serve the people who have elected me.”
He pointed out that over the past four years he had not taken up any committee posts despite his colleagues’ insistence.
“Winning 8,589 votes doesn’t come out of thin air; it comes from public trust and my commitment to do the best,” said Mr Al Meghawi.
“I will be in contact with whoever wins the Parliament seat from the constituency in the run-off to have the required financing put into the 2023-2024 budget alongside other amounts for pending public services delayed due to the pandemic.”
Also re-elected for a second term was his colleague Fadhel Al Oud from Constituency Six (Dair and Samaheej) with 2,011 votes, which was 67.89pc of the 2,962 valid votes cast; 295 ballots were declared invalid.
Among the seven councillors who won in the first round, six regained their seats while one was a newcomer.
Twenty-three seats are still up for grabs in the run-off elections on Saturday.
Meanwhile, a second round of voting will be held for 34 Parliament seats, with only six candidates, including four sitting MPs, winning in the first round.
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