MP Didi: PPM-PNC Governments Leave Local Councils Stagnant

Member of Parliament for the Maradhoo constituency, Ahmed Didi, has stated that every time an administration aligned with the PPM-PNC ideology concludes its term, local councils are left functioning as nothing more than registry offices for births and deaths.

Speaking on RaajjeTV’s "Fala Surukhee" program, MP Didi stated that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration is profoundly alienated from the decentralization system, democratic processes, and the democratic framework.

Highlighting the numerous amendments made to the Constitution, MP Didi stated that the freedoms and empowerment achieved by the people, along with the decentralized system, are being systematically consolidated. He noted that President Muizzu has progressively tightened his grip on these powers, effectively bringing all state affairs under his direct control.

The recently passed legislation grants a Minister the authority to seize land within the jurisdiction of the people at any given time. We are now witnessing a shift where all land within the islands is falling under the ownership of the Local Government Authority (LGA). Similarly, the very foundation of the decentralization system—enshrined in the Constitution through the immense effort and long-standing struggle of the citizens—has been dismantled. This system was specifically designed to allow atolls to be governed independently through atoll councils, yet that autonomy has now been abolished.

Ahmed Deedee

MP Didi stated that the current administration has effectively abolished atoll councils by transforming them into mere branches of the Local Government Authority (LGA). He further characterized the government as an administration that actively works against the developmental aspirations of the people.

Highlighting the inconsistency between President Muizzu’s rhetoric and his actions, MP Didi stated that while the current administration claims to be the champion of decentralization, history shows that power is only truly devolved to the people during MDP administrations. He further noted that the decentralization system only functions in its true form when an MDP government is in power.

MP Didi stated that governments aligned with the PPM-PNC ideology, under various names, have consistently stripped local councils of their powers. He described a pattern where, by the end of such administrations, councils are reduced to mere administrative offices tasked only with maintaining birth and death records. The MP further noted that the current administration appears to be heading in the same direction, systematically dismantling the authority of local government bodies.