Shamheed to propose Hulhumale' city council motion

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP for Hulhumale' South, Ahmed Shamheed, has announced plans to submit a resolution in Parliament to separate Hulhumale' from the jurisdiction of Male' City Council.

The announcement follows a post Shamheed made on X on Sunday, in which he argued that Hulhumale' is distinct from Male' in both character and governance, and therefore deserves its own city council.

“It deserves its own independent city council, separate from Male’s. The supermajority in Male' City Council may not act in Hulhumale’s best interest, and it’s impractical for representatives from another city to govern,” he wrote.

Shamheed did not share further details about the proposed resolution.

Hulhumalé is a city with unique features and diversity, far different from Malé. It deserves its own independent city council, separate from Malé’s. The supermajority in Malé City Council may not act in Hulhumalé’s best interest, and it’s impractical for representatives from…

— Ahmed Shamheed (@Ashamhyd) November 2, 2025

Hulhumale' North MP Hussain Shareef of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) also expressed support for the idea, stating that Hulhumale' should be designated as a separate city to ensure better access to basic and government services.

Although Hulhumale' is officially under the Male' City Council, most municipal services, except for the cemetery, are managed by the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), which has drawn criticism for its limited public accountability.

Shamheed’s remarks come shortly after a referendum in Addu City on October 25, where residents of Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo voted to secede from the Addu City Council, while Feydhoo chose to remain.