MP Shameez criticises political appointees over council election campaigning

Madaveli MP Mohamed Shaneez on Friday expressed concern that individuals appointed to political positions by President Mohamed Muizzu are not campaigning for candidates of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) in the upcoming local council elections.

Shaneez made the remarks in a post on Facebook, stating that political appointees linked to the Madaveli constituency were not supporting PNC candidates.

He said that individuals appointed to political posts who are unwilling to campaign for candidates in their constituency should reconsider their positions.

“If political appointees in the Madaveli constituency cannot campaign for PNC candidates, they are not suitable for those positions,” Shaneez wrote.

He said such individuals had two options: to continue in their roles while supporting the party’s candidates, or to resign.

Shaneez did not respond to phone calls seeking clarification on his remarks.

Political appointments are made under Article 115 of the Constitution, which grants the President authority to appoint staff to assist in implementing government policies. Political positions have been created within the President’s Office and various government ministries under this provision.

The increase in the number of political appointees has been cited as a contributing factor to rising government expenditure. The current administration has previously stated that it intends to limit the number of political employees to 700. However, government figures have indicated that more than 900 political appointees are currently employed. A list of such employees has not been made public.