After stripping councils of their legal powers, President says this was not a principle he personally endorses
President Muizzu stated that he does not believe in undermining the authority of local councils and emphasized the importance of electing councilors who will cooperate in fulfilling government pledges; however, he has since amended the Decentralization Act to effectively restrict the powers of these administrative bodies.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu delivers remarks following the motorcycle rally organized by the PNC. | PNC | PNC
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu stated that it is unacceptable for the government to strip councils of their authority and centralize power after having amended the Constitution to diminish their mandate.
Speaking after a motorcycle rally organized by the PNC, President Muizzu stated that he believes in the local council system and is committed to working within its framework. He further emphasized that marginalizing councils or stripping them of their authority to allow the central government to take over is not a principle he accepts.
Emphasizing the importance of voting for PNC candidates in the upcoming local council elections, President Muizzu stated that it is essential to elect councilors who will cooperate with the administration to fulfill its pledges.
The most effective way for citizens to reap the full benefits of development is by ensuring that all projects in our islands and cities are executed through a robust decentralized system. This is why it is vital to have representatives in our councils who are committed to cooperating with this vision. Therefore, I am appealing to the public to elect our candidates to all city and local councils, as well as to all seats in the Women's Development Committees (WDC), in the upcoming elections.President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu
Despite President Muizzu’s remarks in this regard, he has already amended the Decentralization Act to effectively curtail the powers of local councils.
President Muizzu ratified the 16th amendment to the Decentralization Act on August 14, 2025, despite opposition from more than 100 local councils across the Maldives.
Furthermore, according to this amendment, if councils fail to grant the necessary permits for government-led development projects and activities within a reasonable timeframe after an application has been submitted, the government reserves the right to proceed with such projects or activities in administrative divisions upon obtaining approval from the Local Government Authority.
