Deputy Mayor of Malé City Mohamed Areesh has issued a sharp rebuttal to Mayor Adam Azim, accusing him of misleading the public after the Mayor reacted to President Mohamed Muizzu’s remarks on the delayed transfer of municipal services in Hulhumalé.
The exchange follows President Muizzu’s statement last night during a meeting with residents of Hulhumalé Phase 1, where he said Hulhumalé municipal services remain under the Housing Development Corporation because the Malé City Council has not accepted responsibility. The President noted that the Council was not yet prepared to assume the mandate, despite a presidential directive issued on December 31, 2023, to proceed with the handover in line with his electoral pledge.
Earlier today, Mayor Adam Azim responded in a post on X, rejecting the President’s assertion and claiming the Council had cooperated throughout the process. He listed meetings, correspondence, and discussions held between January 2024 and September 2025, arguing that delays were the result of inaction by the President rather than the Council.
Deputy Mayor Mohamed Areesh swiftly countered the Mayor’s claims, stating that the response failed to address the core issue. According to Areesh, no formal vote has ever been conducted within the City Council to approve the transfer, rendering all public claims of readiness legally and procedurally meaningless.
“The Mayor has not taken this matter to a council vote,” Areesh said. “Without the endorsement of the Council, there is no legal basis to assume responsibility for Hulhumalé’s municipal services.”
Areesh emphasized that while meetings and letters were repeatedly referenced, no practical or binding steps followed. He said no operational framework was approved, no budget formally adopted, and no mandate secured for the Council to take over services currently managed by HDC.
He further accused the Mayor of using the issue for political messaging rather than governance, describing the public narrative as a deliberate attempt to mislead residents. Areesh added that the President had clearly articulated the government’s readiness to proceed and that council members aware of internal discussions knew the Mayor failed to respond positively to these initiatives.
Municipal services in Hulhumalé therefore continue under HDC on a temporary basis, pending formal acceptance by the Malé City Council. The Deputy Mayor’s response has reinforced the government’s position that responsibility lies with the Council’s leadership to take lawful, decisive action and end the prolonged delay affecting Hulhumalé residents.
