PO Chief Spokesperson denies reports of plans to dismiss 500 political appointees
The President's Office has announced that no specific target has been set for the removal of political appointees as part of ongoing structural reforms, noting that changes are being made based on individual performance evaluations. Decisions to dismiss or reassign staff are being finalized following a review of performance reports submitted by ministries, a process aimed at ensuring that those in key positions possess the necessary capabilities to effectively implement government policies and deliver results.
From the ceremony held to appoint Mohamed Hussain Shareef as the Chief Government Spokesperson at the President's Office, at the rank of Minister. | President's Office | Presidents office
The President's Office Chief Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, has dismissed media reports claiming that 500 political appointees are to be terminated, stating that the rumors are entirely baseless.
Speaking to a local news outlet regarding the matter, Shareef stated that the government is not working towards dismissing a specific number of employees. He further noted that individuals who demonstrate sincerity and provide full cooperation toward the President's policies will remain in positions relevant to their professional expertise.
He noted that the number of employees to be dismissed following the restructuring of the government will only be determined after evaluating the ongoing performance reports. Shareef repeatedly emphasized that the government has not set a specific target figure for these dismissals.
Shareef stated that work is currently underway to restructure the organizational frameworks of nearly all ministries following changes to their mandates. He noted that while ministries are currently preparing and submitting performance reports for all political appointees as directed by the President's Office, this remains a routine procedure conducted annually.
However, Shareef noted that the government will not wait for all reports and evaluations to be completed. Instead, as reports are received and assessments are finalized, the process of dismissing staff and reassigning them to various positions is already underway.
Shareef stated that the primary objective of these evaluations is to monitor employee performance, emphasizing that the government aims to ensure political appointees are capable individuals who deliver tangible results.
Official government statistics reveal that the number of political appointees in President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's administration has exceeded the limit he initially pledged. According to a statement released by the President's Office, there are currently 922 employees in political positions. However, President Muizzu had previously vowed that the number of political staff in his government would not exceed 700.
Opposition groups allege that the number of political appointments under the current administration has exceeded 3,000.
