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By Maha Sulaiman.
Benghazi, 8 June 2016:
In an indication of serious divisions in the east of Libya, Benghazi municipal council has ignored . . .[restrict]Tuesday’s ruling by Beida-based interim prime minister Abdullah Al-Thinni to keep Omar Barasi as the city’s mayor and has handed over the mayor’s office to the man it elected to replace him, Zakaria Beltamer.
In his first business as mayor, Beltamer met with area head of the electricity company GECOL, Salah Elabbar, to discuss the electricity crisis in the city and find ways to end it.
Power cuts are averaging between five to six hours a day,
Elabber is reported to told Beltamer that the cause was necessary maintenance work to the Benghazi North power station as well to substations and transmission lines. The problem was compounded, however, by a severe lack of spare parts and equipment.
Prior to being elected mayor, Beltamer headed Benghazi’s crisis committee and has been involved in trying to sort out the electricity supply issue for some time.
The decision by Benghazi council to ignore Thinni’s directive reinstating Barasi demonstrates the interim prime minister’s lack of power even in areas nominally loyal to the power alliance comprising of himself, General Khalifa Hafter and House of Representatives President Ageela Saleh.
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