News Desk
Malé, — A simmering dispute inside the Malé City Council escalated this week after Deputy Mayor Mohammed Areesh publicly accused Mayor Adam Azim of misleading residents about the long‑delayed transfer of municipal services in Hulhumalé.
In a series of posts on X, Areesh said the mayor had distorted the government’s position on shifting municipal responsibilities from the state‑owned Housing Development Corporation, known as HDC, to the Malé City Council. The deputy mayor alleged that Azim had “fabricated claims” about the council’s role and failed to take even basic administrative steps required for the handover.
The accusations followed a town hall meeting in Hulhumalé Phase One on Sunday night, where President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu told residents that his administration remained committed to transferring municipal services to the council — but that the mayor was refusing to accept them.
The forum was the latest in a series of community meetings the president has held in recent months, often using them to address local grievances and sharpen political contrasts with opposition‑aligned officials.
Areesh said the president’s remarks reflected the “actual situation,” insisting that the mayor had never brought the matter before the council for deliberation. “If the mayor has sincere intentions, should he not begin with a council vote?” he said.
According to the deputy mayor, the council has taken no action to assume the services currently overseen by HDC, despite what he described as the government’s readiness to proceed. He accused Azim of misleading the public by suggesting otherwise and of attacking the president in the media while avoiding the administrative work required to move the process forward.
Council member Nahula Ali echoed the criticism, saying the mayor had never presented the issue on the council floor.
Azim, who represents the Maldivian Democratic Party and is seeking its nomination for the upcoming local council elections, has denied the allegations. He has accused the president of making false statements and said he has repeatedly written to the government requesting the transfer.
Areesh rejected that account, arguing that anyone familiar with the internal discussions would know that the mayor had not responded to the government’s requests or initiated the procedures needed for the takeover.
For now, HDC continues to manage municipal services in Hulhumalé, and there is no clear indication of when — or whether — the transfer will advance.
