While "Housing Minister" Muizzu relocated Male' City Council's operations to a small building, "Mayor" Muizzu complained about the lack of space: Solih

Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated that during President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s tenure as Housing Minister, he forcibly relocated the Male’ City Council to a cramped office space, only to later complain as Mayor that the same lack of space hindered the council's work.

He made these remarks while speaking at a ceremony held to launch the MDP’s Male’ City manifesto for the upcoming local council and WDC elections.

Addressing the gathering, former President Solih sharply criticized the policies of President Dr. Muizzu. He asserted that history proves those elected to implement President Muizzu’s agenda are incapable of managing Male' City. President Solih further noted that the MDP is competing against President Muizzu’s team, emphasizing that the President's track record regarding Male' during his tenure as both Housing Minister and Mayor remains clear for all to see.

President Solih further stated that the neglect faced by Male' City during the previous PPM administration must be remembered today. He noted that the government had amended laws to strip the City Council of its powers and ultimately forcibly evicted council members from their administrative office. President Solih highlighted that when they resisted, police were deployed to throw their cupboards and equipment onto the street, forcing them to relocate to a cramped space. Furthermore, he recalled the days during President Muizzu’s tenure as minister when the residents of Male' were forced to live amidst sewage overflows.

Former President Solih stated that during his administration, while Dr. Muizzu was serving as Mayor, the two had met and Muizzu requested a larger office space, claiming the current one was too small. President Solih further revealed that Muizzu had requested two specific buildings, asserting that it was impossible to conduct work in the existing premises.

During Muizzu’s tenure as Mayor, he met with me and expressed that his current office was far too small, requesting a larger space. I reminded him that it was during his own time as a Minister that the City Council was evicted from a spacious building and relocated to a cramped one. I asked him why he hadn't realized the difficulty of the situation back then. Muizzu responded by insisting that, regardless of the past, the current conditions were untenable for work. He identified two specific buildings and requested they be handed over. One was a building whose construction had begun during the PPM administration specifically for the police. The other was the site of the Housing Ministry building that had recently burned down. He maintained that without securing a proper building, their work could not proceed.

Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih

Addressing the issues facing Male' City's streets, President Solih stated that during Muizzu's tenure as Mayor, he began partitioning and leasing out sections of the roads to various parties. He noted that although these spaces were leased after collecting advance payments, they were fortunately salvaged. President Solih remarked that had Muizzu succeeded in his plans, there would be no space left to travel in Male' today, citing this as a reflection of Muizzu's policies. President Solih further asserted that even now, President Muizzu continues to consolidate all power within his own hands.