Sources close to the regime’s General Administration Department in Pathein Township, Ayeyarwady Region, told DVB that local authorities are planning to replace most ward and village administrators with militia members, or military veterans, sometime this week. 

“Only administrators who could offer bribes of 10 million kyats [$2,192 USD] or more will remain [in their positions],” a former administrator, who worked under the regime for two years following the 2021 military coup, told DVB on the condition of anonymity. 

Sources claimed that the plan is to help the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) to win the regime-planned elections, which Min Aung Hlaing announced would begin in December. The pro-military party governed the country from 2011-16.

The regime plans to hold elections in all 24 townships of Ayeyarwady, where the Arakan Army (AA) expanded its offensive from Arakan State in December. Fighting between AA-led resistance and regime forces in Ayeyarwady has been ongoing since January. 

In 2023, regime authorities removed alleged National League for Democracy (NLD) party supporters from ward and village administrations in the region’s capital Pathein and other townships. It replaced them with pro-military supporters, including USDP members.

A source close to the regime administration told DVB that it is collecting names of residents retired from the military to appoint as new ward and village administrators, and as new members of the Pathein Township sub-committee of the Union Election Commission (UEC).  

Sources told DVB that USDP Vice Chairperson Hla Tun told party members at a meeting in Naypyidaw last week that they must win all seats in the eight townships of the capital during the elections even though no specific date or details have been shared by the regime, or the UEC.

USDP Chairperson Khin Yi visited China on June 16 at the “invitation of the Chinese Communist Party”. The USDP is one of 10 parties registered with the UEC to contest seats nationwide in 267 out of 330 townships, where polls are expected to be held.