CNI News
January 30, 2026
U Mahn Aung Pyi Soe, Chairman of the Karen National Democratic Party (KNDP), told CNI News that in addition to Ward and Village Tract Administrators, Township and District Administrators should also be appointed through an elective system.
He stated, "According to the Constitution, administrators are not elected at the District level; they are elected at the State level. Then, they are elected at the Ward and Village level. They are not elected at the Township and District levels. We are not satisfied with that. People are talking about it. It would be best if every administrator—at the District level, Township level, and the grassroots level—was chosen through an elective system."
He continued, "The Constitution does not explicitly state that these roles must be handled through elections. I wonder if they think electing Township and District Administrators would be too much trouble. If possible, an elective system would be the best. That is how I see it."
A Ward Administrator’s office.
Section 10 of the Ward or Village Tract Administration Law stipulates that anyone elected as a Ward or Village Tract Administrator must not participate in party political activities during their term of office, starting from the day of their appointment.
Based on the experience of the 2025 Multi-party Democratic General Election, U Ko Ko Gyi, Chairman of the People’s Party (PP), told media on January 25 during a session on "Election Part (3)" that Ward Administrators are the most fundamental element of Myanmar’s administration. He emphasized the need to review and reform the system to ensure Ward Administrators are independent of political parties and remain impartial.
He said, "The role of Ward Administrators was very prominent in this election. They are crucial in compiling voter lists and handling advance votes. We learned from this election experience that we need to reform the system so that Ward Administrators are free from political party influence and act neutrally. Because Ward Administrators were being threatened or killed, there was a shortage of people willing to do the job. Among those who stepped in, some acted fairly, while others significantly impacted the election results. Therefore, I want to say that the Ward Administrator system needs to be seriously reviewed and reformed."
U Li Paw Reh, Chairman of the Lisu National Development Party (Dulei Party), told CNI News that future governments must ensure that administrative bodies provide precise instructions to these administrators.
A General Administrator.
"The next government needs to give clear directives from the top to those administrators through their respective administrative organizations. However, some administrators fail to act because they don’t know how. Others are hesitant, worrying whether doing one thing or another might be wrong. If the leadership from above provides precise guidance, I think it will be fine," he said.
According to Myanmar’s Ward or Village Tract Administration Law, when selecting a Ward or Village Tract Administrator, a representative must first be elected from each group of ten households.
From among those elected, a list of individuals who meet the prescribed qualifications is compiled as ten-household representatives. A person’s name is then submitted to be proposed for the position of Ward or Village Tract Administrator.
The ten-household representatives then vote by secret ballot for the names on the list. The person who receives the most votes, if they meet the qualifications, is appointed as the Ward or Village Tract Administrator with the approval of the District Administrator.
Section 9 of the law stipulates that the term of office coincides with the term of the Pyithu Hluttaw (House of Representatives) and shall not exceed three terms.
