Nasheed warns President that changing decentralization to seize council land risks 'another coup'

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has said President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu is “contributing to another coup” if he attempts to take over land under the jurisdiction of local councils by changing the decentralization system.

Nasheed made the remarks at the official ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the resettlement of Thinadhoo.

He was referring to the bill submitted to the People’s Majlis by Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannan Abubakr, which would give the government the power to take over land currently controlled by local councils. The main objective of the bill is to bring atoll land and lagoons under the direct control of the Cabinet.

Nasheed said President Muizzu should reflect on the history of Thinadhoo and the people of Huvadhoo when attempting to take away land from island jurisdictions.

He said the country has repeatedly seen what happens when people protest against centralised rule, adding that the root cause of past upheavals was the belief that everything could be run from Malé without decentralisation.

“President Dr Muizzu, you are again plumping a coup. You are trying to destroy Maldives,” Nasheed said.

He said the Cabinet would not know how to manage islands being stationed in Male' city when Maldives is an island nation, and warned that people would not allow the country to go backwards by permitting laws that strip land from island jurisdictions.

“Dr Muizzu, the people of Maldives will rise. They will not allow this country to go backwards. We will stand up too. Nothing in Maldives should happen, or be allowed to happen, without the consent and against the wishes of the people,” he said.

Since President Muizzu took office, his administration has introduced sweeping changes to the Decentralization Act, including abolishing atoll councils, shrinking island and city councils, restricting council revenue, and limiting council powers in their final year. 

Councils across the country have warned that these reforms reverse key democratic gains made since 2008 and place local governance back under central control. Nasheed’s remarks in Thinadhoo directly targeted these changes, framing them as a threat to the democratic system that enabled the island’s development.