Rahvehi Fathis Campaign Launch: 1,522 MDP candidates gear up for Local Council elections
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Former President and Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed both addressed supporters at event, held virtually due to Covid-19
MDP officially launched their Rahvehi Fathis campaign series on Thursday evening, with President Solih and Speaker Nasheed both present at the event
Main-ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) officially launched their Rahvehi Fathis campaign on Thursday evening, with 1,522 candidates preparing to contest on behalf of the party in the upcoming Local Council and Women's Development Committee (WDC) elections on 10 April 2021.
The Rahvehi Fathis campaign was launched virtually in light of the risks of Covid-19, with President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and former president and Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed both delivering speeches at the event. Mayoral candidates for Male' City, Addu City, Fuvahmulah City and Kuldhuffushi also addressed MDP supporters at the launching of the campaign.
Speaking at the event, former president and Speaker Nasheed stated that he had been advocating for housing throughout his political career, and that he would continue to do so until housing could be secured for the citizens of the Maldives. He added that it was a debt that MDP owed to the citizens as long the party remained active in the political sphere.
Speaker Nasheed went on to detail that MDP's mayoral candidates also planned on contributing housing solutions to their communities, and that they had been empowered to do so with new legislative changes that allowed local councils to own and gain independent profit and utility from land. Speaker Nasheed assured that the citizens of Male' should still be hopeful as MDP remained steadfast in the party's efforts to provide housing for those in need.
While MDP has officially launched their campaign efforts for the Local Council and WDC elections with the Rahvehi Fathis series, Ahmed Shahid (Saabe) has been appointed as manager for the party's campaign in the coming weeks. Virtual events were being held as part of the Rahvehi Fathis campaign even before the official launching ceremony was conducted on Thursday evening. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and some cabinet ministers have taken part in these virtual meetings to describe the governments present efforts and future plans for decentralization and development in outlying islands.
The Local Council and WDC elections are slated to be held on 10 April of this year, just before the holy month of Ramazan. MDP have already secured 21 out of 980 seats in the Local Council Elections by default due to withdrawals of other candidates, in addition to insufficient number of challengers.
The upcoming elections will see 179 persons elected as presidents of island councils, and 18 persons elected as atoll councilors, in addition to Mayors who will be elected by citizens in four cities across the Maldives.
