To ensure seamless and democratic transition, the outgoing administration led by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has confirmed its full cooperation with incoming President-elect Dr Mohamed Muizzu.
This commitment has been reinforced by the guidelines and advisories released by various oversight bodies, including the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Privatization and Corporatization Board (PCB).
President Solih on Thursday instituted the ‘Office of the President-elect’, announced in a directive issued by the President’s Office.
The directive mandates that crucial information about government agencies be prepared for the president-elect to ensure a smooth power transfer that does not disrupt government operations or interrupt services provided by the government to the citizens.
President Solih has also implored all personnel appointed by him to continue performing their assigned duties and responsibilities until the conclusion of his current presidential term.
President Solih’s Office has expressly stated that they will “fully cooperate in carrying out transition tasks as desired by the president-elect” and will adhere to all relevant laws during this critical period.
These statements came in response to a letter from Muizzu, which contained seven specific requests aimed at ensuring a smooth handover. Among these were calls to halt new government hires, investments, land development and the execution of international agreements.
In his letter, the president-elect thanked the outgoing president for displaying exemplary democratic values and was assured that the transition would proceed smoothly.
The PCB has recently updated its advice to state-owned enterprises, allowing a slight degree of flexibility for projects that have already been negotiated or are at the tender stage. Despite this revision, the board continues to advise against initiating new projects that require substantial expenditure and cautions against changes that may affect company revenues or structures.
Earlier, the ACC released a set of guidelines aimed at minimising the risk of corruption during the transitional period. These guidelines urge government agencies and state-owned enterprises to avoid initiating new projects and to ensure proper documentation of all financial transactions. The ACC will remain vigilant and is urging the public to report any suspicious activities.