03/10/2026
Stop using āHonourableā title, itās for MPs and judges, Local Government tells councillors
THE Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has directed ward councillors to stop using the title āHonourableā, saying it is not assigned to their offices.
The ministry has also warned council chairpersons against using the title āMayorā when they do not preside over city or municipal councils.
In a circular dated September 30, 2026, permanent secretary for Administration Dr Gabriel Pollen said the ministry had observed an increasing trend where ward councillors and council chairpersons were adopting titles and styles of address that were not legally or procedurally assigned to their respective offices.
Dr Pollen said the title āHonourableā is reserved exclusively for Members of Parliament and Judges of the Superior Courts and is not a designated title for ward councillors.
He further stated that the title āMayorā is restricted to presiding officers of city and municipal councils, while individuals presiding over town councils should officially be addressed as Council Chairperson.
āAll individuals currently holding these positions are directed to immediately cease the use of titles for which their offices do not qualify,ā Dr Pollen said.
He warned that continued use of unauthorised titles was tantamount to impersonation and undermined the formal hierarchy of the local government system.
The directive, he said, would apply to all current civic leaders as well as future occupants of the offices.
Dr Pollen further directed town clerks and council secretaries to ensure that the correct titles are reflected in official correspondence, signage and public introductions.
He also directed the Chalimbana Local Government Training Institute to incorporate the protocols into the orientation and training curriculum for civic leaders.
The ministry said the move was aimed at maintaining the integrity of institutional protocols and avoiding confusion over the formal posi
