Protest staged in Hoarafushi following council president’s suspension
Mohamed Waheed was suspended without pay for three months by LGA over alleged violations in land lease procedures
Protest held following the suspension of Hoarafushi council president
Residents of Hoarafushi island in Haa Alif atoll and employees of the Hoarafushi Council have taken to the streets following the suspension of Council President Mohamed Waheed, voicing strong dissatisfaction with the decision.
Mohamed Waheed was suspended without pay for three months on 8 December 2025.
The Local Government Authority (LGA) informed Council Vice President Ahmed Imdhaah of the decision through a letter stating that the authority’s 12th meeting had discussed and decided on issues identified during an inquiry conducted by LGA.
Speaking to RaajjeMV, Vice President Imdhaah said the council does not believe the suspension is justified and noted that the public shares this view. He insisted the council does not accept the decision “in any way.”
LGA claimed the council president had violated certain articles of the Decentralization Act and that members of the Hoarafushi Council had acted contrary to the code of conduct, causing damage to both the council and the decentralized system.
Citing these issues and the president’s position as the highest authority responsible for the Council’s administration, LGA said it decided to suspend him.
The authority also issued advice to the other councilors, excluding the president.
However, LGA’s letter offered no details of the inquiry. It also failed to clarify whether the actions attributed to the president, who now faces a three-month suspension without pay, had occurred repeatedly or how severe the alleged offense was.
RaajjeMV understands that the case involved an inquiry into procedures followed in leasing land to Hawks on a commercial basis.
Both LGA and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) are understood to have conducted investigations related to the matter, yet neither authority has clearly explained any wrongdoing.
Although the state had previously asked the court to halt the land lease to Hawks, the court ruled there was no basis to stop it.
Speaking to RaajjeMV, the council president argued that blaming a single individual for a decision made with the participation of all councilors is unacceptable.
Hoarafushi Council consists of seven members, including the president, and holds a full majority of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
