Dr. Munavvar to contest in the Presidential Election 2023

Former Attorney General Dr. Mohamed Munavvar has decided to contest in the upcoming presidential election.

Dr. Munavvar told Mihaaru News today that the country has been divided in the name of different political ideologies for too long now. The consequences of forming coalitions and pursuing their own interests are very bitter, he said.

He is contesting independently without any party affiliation.

"I am forming a coalition with the people of the Maldives," he said.

"There is no steady ideology. The country is divided among political leaders: 40 percent for one, 21 percent for another, and 11 percent for someone else. This is too much," Dr. Munavvar said.

According to him, the people of the Maldives are left in despair when political parties form an alliance and divide the government. He said that this practise should be stopped.

Dr. Munavvar said the country was witnessing acts done out of greed for power. He said that although he intended to retire from politics, his conscience did not allow him to leave the country in its current state.

"We want to be able to live in peace. But we constantly hear things like there is no state, no freedom, the economy is deteriorating, debts are mounting, the value of the currency might fall, and that we cannot walk freely in the streets," he said, citing his reason for contesting the election.

Highlighting that election results in the Maldives always reflect the ideologies of either the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) or the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), he said that the people's beliefs are, in reality, far greater. He said he would win with the support of the people even if he contested without a coalition.

"The desire of political leaders for power is not an ideology. The people are an ideology, and that is my stance," he said.

Dr. Munavvar has officially opened a campaign hub as well. He said he would hold a press conference soon to announce his views on the presidential election.

Dr. Munavvar's political career

Dr. Munavvar served as the Attorney General for 10 years during the administration of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

He was one of the founding members of MDP, and in 2008, he even contested in the party's presidential primary. He also ran for the post of party president but was unsuccessful. Shortly after, he left the MDP and joined the Jumhooree Party (JP).

Later, he left the JP and formed his own political party called the Maldives Reform Movement. However, the Election Commission dissolved the party because it did not meet the necessary requirements.

Until late last year, Munavvar was mostly away from the Maldives' political scene. He began criticising some of the government's policies, for which he received backlash with statements such as "Munavvar has awoken."

In response, he said he would not remain silent on matters of national importance. He said he would speak out on everything that needs to be reformed in the country and try to resolve it.

Besides Munavvar, MDP presidential candidate President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, PPM presidential candidate former President Abdulla Yameen, Maldives National Party (MNP) candidate Mohamed Nazim and former Home Minister Umar Naseer have announced their candidatures.