Former Minister of Communication, Science and Technology and current People’s National Front (PNF) Secretary General Mohamed Maleeh Jamal has said that reducing the number of government ministries would be a more effective way to cut public expenditure than merging presidential and parliamentary elections.

Maleeh spoke during a meeting on the upcoming elections, criticizing the government’s bill to combine the two polls. He argued that merging the elections would not resolve administrative or financial challenges, and he highlighted that several existing ministries are unnecessary or duplicative, including separate ministries for youth and sports, higher education, and the environment.

He also accused President Muizzu of lacking genuine intentions to reduce government spending. Maleeh’s remarks come amid growing opposition concerns that the proposed constitutional amendment could compromise the independence and transparency of the electoral system and increase the risk of political influence over voters.

The government has stated that the merger aims to reduce costs and simplify election administration, but the debate continues as lawmakers review the bill in parliamentary committees.