922 political appointees; higher than promised cap by 222

The President’s Office has disclosed the number of people appointed to political positions within the administration – a figure they had previously refused to disclose.

The disclosure came in a surprise announcement just after 12:00 am on Wednesday.

According to the President’s Office, there are 922 officials currently appointed to political positions. This includes:

• 20 ministerial posts
• 14 ministerial rank posts
• 93 state minister posts
• 7 state ministerial rank posts
• 216 deputy minister posts
• 20 deputy ministerial rank posts
• 318 senior political director posts
• 8 senior political director rank posts
• 169 political director posts
• 4 political director rank posts
• 4 assistant political director posts
• 49 other political posts

The President’s Office added that the total number of political posts “is subject to change throughout each presidential term due to terminations, resignations, and new appointments.”

Following President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s 2023 presidential election win, his spokesperson Mohamed Firuzul said the administration’s political appointments would be capped at 700. But the figure disclosed by the President’s Office on Wednesday exceeds the promised cap by 222 officials.

The opposition had long alleged the number of political appointees exceeds 2,000.

Following criticism from the opposition regarding the high number of political appointees, President Muizzu announced in October 2024 that he was dismissing 228 political appointees as a cost cutting measure. The President’s Office announced the next month that 248 political appointees had been dismissed.

However, the President’s Office refused to share details regarding the political appointees in question. The decision was appealed with the Information Commissioner’s Office, which in January instructed the President’s Office to disclose the information. But the decision was appealed by the President’s Office with the High Court.

In his first press conference in over a year on May 3, during which President Muizzu spent a record 14 hours speaking to reporters, he said he was unaware of the secrecy surrounding information regarding political appointees, and promised to disclose the information.

He also said that he was unaware of the appeal filed with the High Court to prevent the disclosure of the information, and said the information should not be withheld.

He said that he would disclose the information regarding each and every political appointee.