The President's Office has refused to disclose the details of the 205 political appointees dismissed as part of the government's policy to reduce state expenditure.
The President's Office has yet to respond to inquiries submitted by the Adhadhu via the 'Mahoali' RTI portal. Adhadhu sought clarification on two points:
- A detailed list of the 205 political staff members the government spokesperson claimed were dismissed over three months as of September 5, 2026, including their names, respective ministries, designations, and dates of termination.
- The current total number of political appointees remaining in the administration following these dismissals.
In an interview with state media PSM in September, the President's Office Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, claimed that 205 political staff across four tiers had been dismissed. These tiers included State Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Senior Political Directors, and Political Directors.
The spokesperson further noted that the process of downsizing political staff is ongoing and that additional dismissals are expected in the future.
Additionally, the spokesperson indicated that once the restructuring of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) is complete, the total number of staff reductions would exceed the number of individuals hired by the current administration.
While the government remains tight-lipped about the specifics of those dismissed, new political appointments continue to be made without public announcement.
