Mahdi Al-Harati is sacked as mayor of the Municipality of Tripoli Centre (Photo: MTC).

The Municipality of Central Tripoli has sacked its mayor Mahdi Al Harati from his position yesterday and appointed Abdulrahaman Al-Ghalali as a temporary stand-in mayor for the Municipality.

Al Harati was appointed Mayor in June 2014.

The announcement was published formally this morning by the Municipality. The statement said the Municipality has taken the decision after obtaining the required quorum to withdraw confidence from Al Harati. Six members had voted for sacking Harati, while one member voted against the motion and one abstained.

The six members who voted to remove Al Harati were: Abdulrauf Biet Al-Maal, Taher Krewi, Abdulrahman Ghalali, Mohamed Banon, Abrahim Khalifi and Mohamed Abu Janah. Ibrahim Aribi voted against sacking Al Harati while the one female member, Fatma Baghi, abstained.

Al Harati has been widely criticized by Tripoli residents because of his poor performances. ‘‘I think he has nothing to offer and is unable to prove that he deserves the position and only focuses on photographing himself”, Tripolitanian Mohamed Baden told the Libya Herald yesterday.

One standout criticism against Al Harati has been the failure by his Municipality to collect the city’s garbage off its streets in a timely manner and a regular basis. At times at the peak of summer rubbish has piled-up on roadsides causing a stench and health concerns.

On a personal note, Al Harati has not done himself any favours with some poor PR and some self-inflicted faux pas. He has, for example, attracted much social media criticism simply for the perception of being out of Tripoli most of the time when the rest of the city was suffering power cuts, bread shortages, petrol queues etc.

For example, he has allowed himself to be photographed far too often for the liking of Tripoli residents wandering Europe with other friends, sometimes enjoying an ice cream or sipping a cappuccino.

However, Al Harati is not prepared to give up his position easily. This morning he promptly returned to his office in Tripoli and rather than giving up his position gracefully, posted photos on the Municipality’s Facebook page rubbishing his sacking and taking over the running of the Municipality from his appointed deputy and only ally, Ibrahim Aribi.

It is believed that Al Harati is still in control of the Municipality’s Facebook Page.

It is not clear what the next move is. Sources at the Municipality have informed this publication that fellow Municipality members are afraid of Al Harati.

By Saber Ayyub.

https://www.libyaherald.com/2015/08/19/municipality-of-central-tripoli-m...