If the President does not know the number of political staff appointed under his executive authority, people will naturally make him a subject of ridicule: Nishan
Legal professional Mohamed Nishan Ibrahim has criticized the government for its failure to disclose the total number of political appointees. Highlighting that the administration's inability to track its own presidential appointments is farcical, Nishan asserted that such lack of transparency demonstrates a fundamental lack of competence to govern. Despite various excuses provided by the state to withhold this information, the government has yet to release a definitive count of political staff currently in office.
Attorney Mohamed Nishan Ibrahim speaking on RaajjeTV's 'Fala Surukhee' programme. | Raajje MV
Legal expert Mohamed Nishan Ibrahim has stated that it is only natural for the public to mock the situation if the President remains unaware of the total number of political appointees appointed under his executive authority.
Speaking on RaajjeTV’s "Fala Surukhee" program, Nishan stated that political appointees are hired under the discretionary powers vested in the President, and as such, the President must be aware of the exact number of such employees.
Emphasizing that such figures must, at the very least, be officially documented, Nishan stated that if the administration remains unaware of the total number of positions appointed by the President under legal authority, it will inevitably become a subject of public ridicule.
If the President is unaware of the exact number of political appointees, what more can we say? If the President does not keep a record or remains uninformed about the number of officials appointed under Article 115 of the Constitution, I believe he will become a target of widespread public ridicule.Attorney Mohamed Nishan Ibrahim
Nishaan stated that the President’s spokesperson is responsible for clarifying the President's remarks. He added that if even the spokesperson is unable to provide the exact figures, the only remaining recourse is to submit a Request for Information (RTI) under the Right to Information Act.
Nishaan stated that these actions clearly demonstrate President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s lack of fitness for office.
Furthermore, noting that the appointment of political staff has been a common practice under previous administrations, Nishan severely criticized the manner in which these processes are being conducted under President Muizzu’s government.
Despite President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration pledging to cap the number of political appointees at 700, the government has yet to disclose the actual figure, even as it enters its second year in power.
Despite repeated inquiries from journalists to various government officials on multiple occasions, the government has yet to disclose the figure, offering various excuses instead.
Furthermore, the government’s Chief Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu), stated that inquiries regarding the number of political appointees should only be made once the government has fully concluded its ongoing efforts to reduce the overall civil service workforce.
