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Defense Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi speaks at a ceremony held in Carnival area to present MDP's presidential ticket to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on February 17, 2023.

Mariya labels Muizz as religious conservative NGO's proxy

She said Muizz did not do his research and find out what the people lacked.

15 August 2023

By Ahmed Sadhoof Moosa

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's campaign spokesperson Mariya Ahmed Didi on Tuesday labelled opposition PPM-PNC presidential candidate Dr Mohamed Muizz as a proxy for religious conservative Jamiyyath Salaf.

At a press conference held at the Salt Cafe building where President Solih's main campaign office is located, the defence minister described the opposition coalition’s PNC candidate Muizz as a candidate of Jamiyyath Salaf.

At the press conference, a journalist asked why every time she mentioned Muizz's name at the press conference, she said "PNC Salaf candidate Muizzu".

Replying to the question, Mariya said that more than the PPM members welcoming him as their presidential candidate, it appears that members of the Salaf organisation are endorsing Muizz individually.

Emphasising that, Mariya said that Muizz is not a PPM candidate and that he was contesting the elections despite the opposition leader former President Abdullah Yameen asking the parties to boycott the election.

“All the members of the Salaf, one by one, support Muizz and endorse him,” she said.

"Therefore, based on the evidence, we are saying that Dr Muizz is [in fact] the candidate of the PNC Salaf”.

In addition, Mariya has criticised Muizz's campaign trips to the islands. She said the opposition candidates are not organised, nor do they anticipate the needs of the people.

Citing HA. Molhadhoo as an example, she said Muizz had promised to bring a port and other development to the island.

“He is newly arriving [in Molhadhoo]. He is embarking ont he island via a port built by President Solih. He is saying after that, for example, that we will do the port and other things,” she said laughingly.

She said the port of the island has already been established by this government, and that Muizz did not do his research and find out what the people lacked.

“He has not looked at what the people of Molhadhoo want,” she said.

"When he said that, the port was already completed. Again, President Solih has already promised the island that hopefully the port will be expanded and the area will be protected in the next term”.

She said it showed that the MDP listens to the people and makes promises in a strategic and realistic manner.

She said the MDP is not like the opposition PPM and PNC that destroy places and obstructs peaceful campaigning. When the opposition candidates go to the islands, MDP will not come out rioting as the PPM, she said.

With 24 days to go before the presidential election, the parties are conducting vigorous campaign activities. President Solih, Muizz and The Democrats candidate Ilyas Labeeb are traveling to the islands and making big promises.

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