Some government offices do not have enough desks and chairs due to the high number of political appointees made since President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu assumed office, Adhadhu has learned.
The President assumed office on November 17 with a pledge to limit political appointees to 700. The exact number of people in political posts is unclear as the government has not officially disclosed the information.
However, Adhadhu has confirmed based on information gathered from various sources that the number of political appointees is now close to 2,000.
Some ministries do not have desks and chairs for political appointees to work, sources confirmed to Adhadhu.
As a result, some political appointees have been spending time in cafes and restaurants near the office during working hours, Adhadhu was informed.
The lack of furniture for employees has also disrupted work. Some offices have been making space for political appointees by shifting the workstations of long-serving civil service employees, Adhadhu was informed.
Some ministries have even made announcements in the gazette seeking desks and chairs, including the Youth Ministry and Environment Ministry.
According to information obtained by Adhadhu under the right to information (RTI) law, there are 47 political appointees at the Environment Ministry. The number of political appointees at the Youth Ministry is unclear.
Some ministries have disclosed the number of political posts in response to RTI requests. But the total figure has not been verified as the information has not been available from some ministries.
