As elections near, ACC stonewalls allegations of gov’t corruption and vote-buying
In a statement issued on January 12, ACC called on the public to report any instances of bribery linked to the election. The commission reiterated that both giving and receiving bribes constitute criminal offenses and stated that such cases would be thoroughly investigated. Despite these assurances, ACC has failed to disclose any information when asked whether complaints have been filed in relation to the government’s current activities.
ACC's President | Raajje MV
Despite growing allegations of systemic corruption involving the mass distribution of jobs and the announcement of numerous projects by the government ahead of the upcoming Local Council Elections in April, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has refused to provide any information on the matter.
As the elections draw closer, there has been a marked increase in recruitment across government ministries and State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). Notably, Minister of Cities, Local Government and Public Works Adam Shareef Umar recently revealed plans to recruit more than 500 employees for Public Works alone.
However, when questioned by the media regarding these developments, ACC declined to comment. Complaints have also been mounting over the recruitment of individuals from multiple islands under the guise of being ministry staff based in Malé City.
In addition to this, reports have indicated that SOEs continue to hire staff in islands where there is reportedly no actual work available.
Beyond recruitment, the government has also opened applications for several large-scale housing projects just ahead of the polls. These include 15,000 land plots and 7,900 flats in Ras Malé. Applications were also opened for 100 housing units in B. Thulhaadhoo and Th. Vilufushi after the central government removed the Thulhaadhoo Council’s authority over the project while the council was in the midst of the allocation process.
In a statement issued on January 12, ACC called on the public to report any instances of bribery linked to the election. The commission reiterated that both giving and receiving bribes constitute criminal offenses and stated that such cases would be thoroughly investigated. Despite these assurances, ACC has failed to disclose any information when asked whether complaints have been filed in relation to the government’s current activities.
This apparent lack of action has triggered significant public criticism. Concerns persist regarding the leadership of ACC, with its current president having previously faced accusations of aligning with the government of the day to safeguard his position and of hesitating to pursue investigations involving senior state officials.
