Zgharta Zawie Online Magazine

Zgharta Caza - Zgharta

Zgharta - Zawie Online Magazine

The Public Administration

The town of Zgharta is the administrative center of the Caza (District) of Zgharta Zawieh. It is the siege of the Ka'emakam (governor) who represents the central government authority and who is nominated by the Cabinet and is relevant to the ministery of Interior Affairs. The Ka'emakam is the head of the public institutions in the district which are all hosted in one administrative building, the "Serail".

Zgharta and Ehden were always considered one town because they were inhabited by the same people. 200 years ago the administration was represented by a governor at the head of Okta'at Ehden. From 1862 to the end of the Ottoman rule there was a director for the "Nahiat" Ehden. In 1920 with the proclamation of "Great Lebanon", Zgharta was named the administrative center of the "Sonjok" of North Lebanon. By that time Zgharta was nothing of a town: two streets flooded in winter with mud, no telephone, no public building, no place to host the employees, no place to host the 90 security men dispatched for the occasion, no water and sewage installations... The Municipality of Zgharta worked hard to insure all what was demanded in that situation. A new "Serail" was built and was inaugurated in 1924. In 1926 the "Sonjok" administrative system was banned and replaced by the "Mohafazat" and the city of Batroun replaced Zgharta as an administrative center of th new "Mohafazat". The people of Zgharta blocked the transfer of the official records from their city, the french army intervened and two years later Zgharta was named the administrative center of the new Caza of Zgharta - Zawieh. And so it remains.

Zgharta was one of the first few tonws in Lebanon who had municipal councils by the end of the nineteenth century. The first councils (1900 - 1916) were appointed with the "Director of Nahiat Ehden" at their head. In 1926 a new law was set, ruling the partition of towns into sectors; one sector for each 3000 registered persons. Each sector shall elect one "mukhtar" and two municipal council members in addition to members elected by the whole town. That law ensured better and even contribution of all sectors in administrating their city. Zgharta was then divided into five sectors: 1) the east side of Notre-Dame church 2) the west side of Notre-Dame church 3) the north side of the crossroads 4) the south side of the crossroads 5) Maaser sector. (more informations about the sectors in our demographic study and in sections of the book about elections 2000)

Through the years the majority of the original inhabitants of these sectors moved from one sector to another because of the bloody incidents of the nineteen fifties between the major families in Zgharta.

Before the seventies, Ehden was in summer the place where all the administration of the Caza moves for nearly 3 months.

The municipality of Zgharta-Ehden has its offices in the "Serail" in Zgharta and its own building in Ehden (it was built and offered by Sarkis Al-Lebian, an emigrant in Mexico)

From 1900 to 1948 the municipal councils were always nomitated by the ministry of interior. In 1948 the council was nominated after a consencus between the major five families of Zgharta and so were the following councils till 1977.

The first municipal elections took place in May 1998 and according to the new law (a municipal council of 21 members and 11 "mukhtar" for a six years term). Two lists of 21 nominees each were running for this election along with few individual candidates. (more about these elections) For the first time a deep cleavage in the society took place since 1958. Was it worth ?

The 1998 council was elected as follows: George Yammine (President), Maroun Zakhia Duwayhi (Vice President), Edmond Dahdah, Pierre Dahdah, Hanna Mohsen Duwayhi, Antoine Merheb, Marie Saadeh Mawad, Renée Boulos, Khalil Mawad, Boutros Frangie, Rima Zaidan, Iskandar Mawad, Marcel Mawad, Paul Morcos Duwayhi, Dr. Maroun Halbi, Finianos Finianos, Simon Makari, Dr. Toni Azizi, Shaiban Makari, Ghassan Tayoun, Saiid Lebian.

In the "Serail" of Zgharta the following official administrations are present:

- the Ka'emakam

- the courthouse

- the security corps

- the local jail

- the "Makhfar"

- the citizens registers

- the fiscal offices

- the municipality of Zgharta

- the General Security offices

- the office of urbanism

Those who were Directors of "Nahiat" Ehden from 1867 to 1928:

Hanna Bey Mawad, Sheikh Fandi Al-Khazen, Assaad Bey Karam (1874-1878), Emir Majid Shehab, Emir Mas'oud Shehab, Assaad Bey Karam (1883-1887), Emir Mas'oud Shehab, Amine Bey Torbey (1893-1898), Salim Bey Karam (1898), Mikhaiil Bey Al-Daher, Emir Fayez Shehab, Sheikh Khazen Al-Khazen, Emir Farid Shehab, Sleiman Bey Frangie (1904-1908), Emir Farid Shehab (1908), Kabalan Bey Frangie (1908-1913), Sheikh Mahmoud Hobeish (1913-14).

During World War I: Mohammad Turky, Najib Moutwali, Antoun Duwayhi (Interim 1916) Osman Sultan, Saiid Eid Bustani, Saiid Bitar, Sheikh Khalil Abi Saab.

After the Ottoman occupation: Sheikh Salim Al-Hashem, Sheikh Rashid Mawad (1920-1925), Shebli Mallat, Antoun Duwayhi (Interim 1926) Khalil Ghosn.

Sheikh Antoun Duwayhi

Born in 1875, he went to U.S. in 1891 where he spent twenty years then returned to his homeland in 1910. Nominated member of the municipal council in 1912 (treasurer) then president in 1915, 1921 and 1924.

Most of the streets in Zgharta and Ehden, the water installations, the telephone cables... were the fruit of his work.

Forgotten today!!!