Munavvar warns of ‘irreparable damage’ if President Muizzu remains in power

Former Attorney General Dr Mohamed Munavvar has criticised President Mohamed Muizzu’s administration, warning that allowing the President to remain in office could cause damage to the Maldives that may be impossible to reverse.

Munavvar made the remarks on Wednesday night while addressing a People’s National Front (PNF) rally in Hithadhoo, Addu City, held during former President Abdulla Yameen’s visit to the southern city.

Munavvar, who was previously appointed by President Muizzu to provide legal advice on the issue of the Maldives’ southern maritime territory, has recently appeared at several PNF gatherings.

He also served as chairman of a presidential commission established by Muizzu to investigate the death of Hawwa Yumnu Rasheed, who fell from a high-rise building last year.

Speaking at the rally, Munavvar said he had not attended the event expecting personal benefits from Yameen or his political movement. He said his decision to speak was prompted by concerns about the country’s economic situation and the government’s management of public affairs.

Munavvar cited difficulties he had experienced earlier in the day while attempting to renew his Microsoft Office subscription and make a donation to a humanitarian campaign supporting Palestinians in Gaza.

He said he had been unable to complete a USD 101 payment to renew the software licence and had also been unsuccessful in attempting to donate USD 26 to the Gaza campaign.

Munavvar presented the incidents as examples of the difficulties people were experiencing in conducting foreign currency transactions.

He said the country was facing economic and administrative problems that raised questions about the government’s ability to manage public affairs.

"What we are witnessing is an inability to govern and an inability to manage the country. There are serious questions about the competence of those responsible for running the state," Munavvar said.

He added that the concerns extended beyond statements made by government officials to the administration’s ability to fulfil its commitments.

Munavvar also criticised the government over several development projects, including the proposed bridge in Addu City, the planned underwater glass tunnel connecting Malé and Ras Malé, and the agreement with a United Arab Emirates company for the Ras Malé development.

He questioned the progress of the Addu bridge project promised by President Muizzu and criticised the government’s plans for the proposed underwater tunnel.

Referring to the Ras Malé agreement, Munavvar raised concerns about the experience and track record of the company involved.

He claimed that the company had previously entered into agreements to undertake projects in other countries that had not progressed as planned. He said the government should examine the reasons for those outcomes before proceeding with a project of such scale.

Munavvar also alleged that Dubai-based companies had previously approached Maldivian governments with proposals for major developments without providing sufficient documentation on how the projects would be implemented.

He said he had opposed such proposals in the past because the companies involved had not submitted the necessary documentation.

Munavvar described the current administration’s approach to development projects as evidence of what he considered a failure to understand governance and the public interest.

He argued that remaining in power appeared to have become the government’s principal objective, regardless of the consequences for the country.

"If there is no capacity to manage the country and no understanding of what needs to be done, there is no reason to remain in power," he said.

Munavvar said he had attended the PNF gathering because he believed Yameen and his supporters were among those making the greatest efforts within the opposition to bring about a change of government.

"The reality is that allowing Mohamed Muizzu to remain in power for even one more day, even one more moment, could cause damage to this country that cannot be reversed," he said.

Munavvar also criticised the government’s management of public finances, arguing that the country should be able to manage its revenue and expenditure more effectively.

He said the Maldives generated substantial revenue but questioned how those resources were being managed.

According to Munavvar, the economic difficulties facing the public were the result of failures in the government’s management of the country.

He also accused the administration of failing to take adequate measures to reduce public expenditure despite the financial pressures facing the state.

Munavvar concluded by calling for President Muizzu’s administration to be brought to an end as soon as possible through lawful means.