The government has so far removed 205 political employees from government positions as part of an ongoing effort to reduce state expenditure, President’s Office Spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu) said Saturday.

Speaking to state broadcaster PSM News, Mundhu said four political employees were dismissed on Saturday alone, bringing the total number of removals to 205.

The employees removed as part of the cost-cutting measures include state ministers, deputy ministers, senior political directors and political directors, according to the President’s Office spokesperson.

Mundhu stressed that the government’s reduction of political appointments has not yet been completed, indicating that further dismissals are likely.

Government yet to reveal overall political staff figure

Despite the number of dismissals announced, the government has not disclosed how many political positions are currently occupied across the administration.

As a result, it remains unclear what proportion of the government’s political workforce has been eliminated through the ongoing measures.

The opposition has previously claimed that the number of political employees across the government is close to 2,000, although an official figure confirming the claim has not been provided.

The lack of a publicly disclosed total has also made it difficult to assess the scale of the reduction against the government’s overall political staffing structure.

Muizzu pledged to limit political appointments

The reduction in political employees follows a commitment made by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu during his 2023 presidential campaign and the subsequent transition period.

Muizzu had pledged to keep the number of political employees in his administration to no more than 700.

Since taking office, the administration has repeatedly highlighted the need to reduce government expenditure and improve the country's financial position.

As part of those efforts, the President has also ordered reductions in political positions and staffing at state-owned companies.

The latest dismissals therefore form part of a broader government drive to reduce the size and cost of the state apparatus.

With Mundhu confirming that the process remains ongoing, the number of political employees removed from government positions is expected to increase in the coming weeks as the administration continues its expenditure-reduction programme.