President Muizzu has reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to true decentralization, declaring that he has already met with 86 island councils across the nation in less than a year. Addressing the people of Nilandhoo during his ongoing tour of F. Atoll, President Muizzu stressed that his government is delivering governance directly to the people instead of confining decision-making to Malé.
President Muizzu revealed that with tonight’s meeting, he has now engaged for a second time with 80 councils, setting a historic precedent in Maldivian politics. “We are practically championing the decentralized system. We are coming to the councils, to the people. We don’t bring councils to Malé. They may come at their discretion — but our policy is to reach out to every island” President Muizzu declared.
By early November, President Muizzu pledged to have met all councils and Women’s Development Committees (WDCs) across the Maldives. He further noted that by the end of October he will have toured every atoll except one, and by November, every inhabited island in the nation.
President Muizzu underlined that each meeting is not symbolic, but a practical working session where people’s needs are discussed in detail with relevant institutions. “I fully believe in the decentralized system. It is the system through which I served the people before, and it is the system I am delivering now” President Muizzu said.
Women at the Heart of Decentralization
Highlighting women’s empowerment as a cornerstone of his policy agenda, President Muizzu announced a landmark budgetary reform: the legally mandated 5% allocation for WDCs will be doubled starting next year. He stressed that this enhancement will remain consistent in future national budgets.
“Empowering women is not just rhetoric; it is a manifesto pledge we are implementing in practice” President Muizzu affirmed. He cited recent initiatives, including the provision of Ramadan allowances for WDC members, as overdue measures that his government has made possible through legal reforms.
A Historic Nationwide Outreach
With his commitment to visit every island and every council, President Muizzu is setting a new benchmark for direct citizen engagement. As the Maldives approaches two years under his leadership, his administration continues to anchor itself on decentralization, ensuring that governance is felt not only in Malé, but in every community across the archipelago.
