Muizzu says presidency was never part of early ambitions

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu said on Tuesday that becoming President of the Maldives was not among his personal ambitions until shortly before last year’s election.

He made the remark during “Dheno,” a youth‑focused podcast hosted by Naza Naseem, Senior Political Director at the Ministry of Youth and a member of the President’s Advisory Committee on Youth. Known for her TikTok content, Naseem asked the President about his first job and the career he originally intended to pursue.

President Muizzu explained that, after completing his A‑levels at 18, he began work as a trainee planning technician at the then‑Ministry of Construction. At the time, he viewed the Construction Ministry as one of the most academically driven offices in government. Interested in a technical profession, he considered electronic and mechanical engineering before opting for civil engineering.

When asked whether he had ever aspired to the presidency, Muizzu replied: “No, not at all. I did not think about it then, and I had not thought about it until very recently.”

Muizzu’s political career began in 2012 when he was appointed Minister of Housing during the administration of President Dr Mohamed Waheed. He continued in the same portfolio for the full five‑year term of President Abdulla Yameen.

Following the 2018 change in administration, Muizzu joined the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), later serving as its vice‑president. Running on the PPM ticket, he was elected Mayor of Malé City in 2021.

Muizzu became the presidential candidate of the PPM–People’s National Congress (PNC) coalition in mid‑2023 after the Supreme Court ruled former President Yameen ineligible to contest. Muizzu secured the PNC nomination in an internal vote and went on to win the September 2023 presidential election, becoming the country’s eighth head of state.