President defends government job cuts despite repeated pledge

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has stated that the ongoing dismissal of employees from state-owned enterprises—contrary to his initial pledge—is a necessary measure that must be taken.

President Muizzu made these remarks during a press conference held at the President's Office on Monday. During the 2023 presidential election campaign, President Muizzu pledged that no employees, with the exception of political appointees, would be dismissed from their positions. He further emphasized that this was a commitment he would honor "200 times over."

However, in breach of that pledge, various state-owned enterprises have been dismissing employees. These terminations, often carried out without citing specific reasons, have escalated significantly over the past few days.

When questioned by RaajjeTV regarding the matter, President Muizzu stated that he has not reneged on his pledge. He further explained that the global conflicts arising this year have necessitated significant cost-cutting measures. The President added that the onset of a global conflict by the end of February this year was something that could not have been previously anticipated.

The President stated that downsizing the workforce of state-owned enterprises to sustainable levels has become an absolute necessity. He emphasized that companies are currently undertaking this process and clarified that these measures do not constitute a violation of his pledges. Furthermore, President Muizzu noted that some employees may have been released over the past few days in accordance with the established internal policies and procedures of each respective company.

When Raajje TV pointed out for a second time that the President had pledged not to dismiss employees, he responded that this did not mean retaining them "at any cost," regardless of the circumstances. He repeatedly asserted that these actions do not constitute a breach of his promise.

However, I do not believe the intent was to retain employees at any cost, regardless of the circumstances. This should not be viewed as a breach of promise. What I am saying is that we have moved forward without breaking our word; however, to reduce costs within these companies—for instance, if the pledge was to maintain the workforce—does that mean employees can behave however they wish? Should they be allowed to cause significant losses to the company? Suppose, for example, an employee commits theft or damages the company's fixed assets. In such a case, it cannot be that they are immune from dismissal simply because a pledge was made.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu

In response to observations that employees are being abruptly dismissed without justification, the President clarified that these terminations are not without cause. He stated that the process is being carried out in accordance with the specific reasons and established criteria he had previously outlined.

Various state-owned enterprises have terminated a significant number of employees in recent days. Among those dismissed are individuals who participated in political activities associated with the opposition. The government is currently facing widespread public backlash following these dismissals.