The Maldives National Party (MNP) said that the government's actions have given rise to concerns regarding the fairness of the upcoming presidential election scheduled for Saturday, September 9, citing government actions that they believe suggest the government is running out of options.
Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday, Ahmed Usham, the elections agent of the party's presidential candidate Mohamed Nazim, said that Nazim will earn the support of the people by presenting the MNP's policies in their manifesto. However, he highlighted that they have observed government actions that violate laws and regulations in an attempt to influence the elections.
“This is a very sad thing. [We] do not believe any citizen will accept destroying the constitution and the entire system that we have fought for, to win an election,” Usham, the Vice President of MNP and Vilimalé MP said.
Nazim's campaign manager, Hussain Ismail, alleged that the government was engaging in "monetary transactions" in "broad daylight." He also claimed that corruption was being conducted through some state-run companies.
"One thing we are deeply concerned about is that the institutions created by the government to oversee these matters are not fulfilling their duties. As they fail to discharge their responsibilities and remain silent on this issue, it has now reached a point where we are suspicious of the election," Hussain said.
Usham said that despite the current administration's involvement in corrupt activities and attempts to influence the elections, the relevant government institutions have not taken any action in this regard.
He said as things are, Nazim does not believe this will be a fair and equal election.
Hussain also criticized the government's decision on Tuesday to waive fines for traffic stickers placed on vehicles due to illegal parking during the last five years. He said that according to the law and regulations, nothing was done for those who had already paid fines for the stickers. Therefore, he believed the decision was taken beyond justice.
Hussain emphasized that it was a campaign pledge of this government not to impose fines on individuals for illegal parking without first providing designated parking spaces. He said that the government had also failed to uphold that pledge.
