Shifau says no intention to impeach president

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has no intention of impeaching President Mohamed Muizzu from office yet, and the amendments to the rules of procedure of the parliament on the impeachment of the president or vice president are to ensure that the parliament continues without interruption.

According to the constitution, two-thirds of the total number of members of parliament is required to remove the president or vice president from office. According to the previous rule, the total number of seats in the 19th parliament is 58 votes.

Shifau moved the amendment to define the total number of members of the parliament. Accordingly, he proposed an amendment:

The amendment to Article 49(f) of the rules was passed by the general committee of the parliament on Thursday. The amendment has been criticised by supporters of the government.

Concerned people allege that the MDP is trying to abuse its majority in parliament to overthrow the government elected by the people a few days ago.

Replying to a question from Atoll Times on Saturday, Shifau said that the purpose of moving the amendment is not to remove the president or vice president from office. He pointed out the difficulties encountered because the total number of parliament is now considered to be 87.

"The Parliament used to consider 87 as the number of MPs. Seven MPs have left the parliament. You can also notice that some days there is a quorum shortage at the start of the Parliament and some very difficult things are coming up," Shifau explained.

“Again, the Supreme Court will later rule that the work of the parliament should be ordered by finding a way to continue the work of the Parliament without interruption,” he said, referring to the ruling on the no-confidence motion.

"[Furthermore], the spirit of the constitution also assumes that the number of valid members of parliament at that time [or] that moment. There is no way for the constitution and the Supreme Court to consider the number of seats in the chamber. You can tell by the spirit of the verdict”.

Shifau noted that:

Therefore, Shifau believes that the amendment is not unconstitutional.

"It is an amendment that can be brought to parliament. There is nothing in the rules of parliament, in the law [and] elsewhere how to look at the number of members of parliament," he said.

The biggest criticism of the amendment is that the party has started working to impeach the president from office.

When asked about it, he said they had no such intention. He said that despite such a view, the MDP is confident that it can do so without proposing this amendment.

"If the parliament thinks of removing the president, it is not so difficult now. About 69 MPs [or] about 70 MPs are dissatisfied with the government. They are dissatisfied with the way the president is forming the government," Shifau said.

"[Therefore] when the parliament impeaches the president, the MDP should not try to do it alone. When it does, there are other parties in parliament that will support it."

Shifau said many MPs believe that any citizen who loves the country will not even accept death allowing President Muizzu's actions.

"However, there is no talk of impeaching the president among us yet. Nothing of impeaching president has happened yet," he said.

"However, [if we want to do that] it is very easy for Parliament at the moment, not difficult. It is easy enough to do without amending the rules."

It is noteworthy that President Muizzu indirectly responded to the MDP in his speech at a rally held on the occasion of Huravee Day on Saturday. Drawing a lesson from history in the speech, the president said that trying to shake a legitimate government to show somebody’s own power is definitely treason against the people. He described it as a cowardly act.