Male' City Mayor Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has reminded President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih that his pledges regarding Hulhumale' remain unfulfilled.
In a tweet posted on the Mayor's official Twitter handle, he attached a snippet of a video of the President's speech in a 'Rahvehi Fathis' campaign. In the speech, the President had said Hulhumale' would be removed from the Housing Development Corporation (HDC)'s mandate and that the administrative and municipal services of Hulhumale' would be handed over to the Male' City Council.
While the President had promised to hand over Hulhumale's administration to the City Council as soon as the council was elected, the Mayor questioned why the President hesitated to keep his word. He asked whether the pledge was forgotten or if the government were unhappy with the peoples' choice for council membership and, therefore, deliberately hindering the council. He said the government must be held answerable regarding the matter.
When the former administration was in power, then-Housing Minister Dr. Mohamed Muizzu registered reclaimed Hulhumale' to HDC. However, after being elected Male' City Mayor last year, he claimed Hulhumale' to be within Male' City Council's jurisdiction and terminated the land registry issued to HDC. The decision came after a disagreement between the City Council and HDC after HDC refused to give permission to hold an opposition rally in Hulhumale' Phase II. HDC challenged the City Council's decision and said it was not in accordance with the Constitution, the Decentralization Act, and the Land Act and took the matter to court.
