President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has stated that he will introduce amendments to allow for the removal of elected officials if more than half of the eligible voting population votes for their removal in cases where the public has lost confidence in them. Currently, there is no way to remove elected officials. The President said this while speaking on a podcast with the public. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu announced that he will propose amendments to the law this year to give citizens the power to remove members of councils and the People’s Majlis after they are elected, during a press conference he held.
The government has decided to submit 30 bills to the parliament this year. Speaking on the podcast with the public, the President said that the current laws and regulations do not truly empower the people. He said he wants to fully empower the people and give them those rights.
The President said that the positions of council members, parliament members, and the President are not currently positions that the people can touch after electing them through voting. However, he said this should not be the case and that it hinders the empowerment of the people. The President said that when the bill proposed by the government is passed, it will fully give the power to remove people in elected positions through a vote in situations where the public has lost confidence in them. “We will propose amendments to allow for removal if more than half of those eligible to vote want it. This applies to council members, parliament members, and even the President – anyone in an elected position. This is how we will truly empower the people. Currently, there are no checks and balances,” said the President.
The President said that the current situation where officials cannot be removed from their positions due to misconduct after being elected needs to be changed. He said that allowing such individuals to remain in their positions until the end of their 5-year term in cases of misconduct is a way of diminishing the power of the people. Therefore, the President has said that he will give the full power to remove such individuals from their positions to the hands of the people in order to arrange work fairly.
