Gov’t bloated with political posts, contradicting promise
The number of political positions in President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's administration is 222 more than what the president had promised
The President's Office
It has been revealed that the number of political positions in President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's administration is 222 more than what the president had promised.
In a statement released by the President's Office on Tuesday, it was stated that there are currently 922 employees in political positions.
These include:
- 20 Ministers
- 14 at Minister level
- 93 State Ministers
- Seven at State Minister level
- 216 Deputy Ministers
- 20 at Deputy Minister level
- 318 Senior Political Directors
- Eight at Senior Political Director level
- 169 Political Directors
- Four at Political Director level
- Four Assistant Political Directors
- 49 in other political positions
President Muizzu had promised not to increase the number of political staff to more than 700 in his government.
After repeatedly delaying the disclosure of the number of employees in political positions, when the number of positions was finally revealed, rumors had spread that some individuals in government political positions had no work to do and no desk or chair in the office, and some people only came to the office to sign in.
The government disclosed the details of the number of employees in political positions only after refusing to provide it even when requested through the Information Commissioner's Office under the Right to Information Act.
After many attempts to keep the information about political staff secret, when the information was finally revealed, the President's Office had also refused to disclose information about the 248 employees they claimed to have dismissed in November last year, citing the need to reduce government expenditure.
Although Muizzu had stated before coming to power that there would be nothing for the government to keep secret, when the Information Commissioner's Office ordered the disclosure of information about the dismissed political staff, the President's Office filed a case in the High Court to prevent this.
President Muizzu has told journalists that he is unaware that the information about the dismissed political staff has been kept secret and that the President's Office has filed a case in the High Court to prevent its disclosure.
