Nasheed on what MDP must not repeat: Theft and corruption

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s chairperson, former president Mohamed Nasheed states said that theft and corruption are among the key practices the party must avoid if it is given another opportunity to form a government.

Nasheed, a founding member of the MDP who led the party to its first electoral victory in 2008, made the remarks during SSTV’s ‘Baaru Hathareh’ program while responding to a question about the mistakes the party should avoid repeating if it returns to power in 2028.

"What the MDP must not do is engage in theft, [allow] exploitation of undue advantages, or [allow] unfair awarding of contracts. State-owned enterprises must not be utilized as political tools or resources," Nasheed asserted.

Nasheed, who also played a key role in the formation of the MDP’s second administration under former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, stressed that corruption is fundamentally among the practices the party must avoid.

He also underscored the importance of forming a government that includes individuals who worked tirelessly to bring the party to power, rather than sidelining them after assuming office.

"I am not suggesting that high-level government positions be given to every activist. It is not just about activists; there are many individuals who contributed significantly," Nasheed remarked.

"However, when the government was formed, they were forgotten,” he stressed.

He further said the MDP should refrain from "politically pursuing" former leaders. He noted that during his presidency, he did not seek the prosecution of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, despite having been imprisoned during Gayoom’s administration.

Nasheed said he does not consider it productive to target individuals merely because they previously held the presidency. However, he stressed that any wrongdoing committed by a former president should be investigated and those responsible held accountable.

Amid growing internal competition for the MDP’s presidential ticket, Nasheed has declared his support for the party’s former Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail. While expressing strong confidence that Fayyaz will secure victory in the primary, Nasheed said he would support whichever candidate ultimately wins the party’s nomination.

Notably, every Maldivian administration has faced significant allegations of corruption, including the governments led by Nasheed and Solih. During Solih’s presidency, the relationship between the two leaders deteriorated, with Nasheed, who was serving as Speaker of Parliament at the time, making serious allegations against the administration.

During Nasheed’s three-year tenure, several state-owned companies established under his administration were subject to allegations of corruption. Among them, the Maldives National Broadcasting Corporation (MNBC) faced significant financial irregularities. Audit reports found that of a USD 3 million loan obtained for an uplink project, only USD 127,000 was spent on the project, while the remaining 85 percent was utilized for staff salaries and other expenses. The company was eventually liquidated following allegations of mismanagement.

Likewise, the Maldives Entertainment Company Limited (MECL), another entity established during the administration, was dissolved following reports of serious financial discrepancies. Auditors identified inconsistencies between the company’s expenditures and bank withdrawals, as well as failures to maintain proper revenue records. Following the dissolution of the companies, the state was compelled to assume their financial liabilities.

The administration of Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, which came to power after campaigning on allegations of theft against former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom, also faced widespread corruption-related issues. Concerns surrounding Fenaka Corporation and the Road Development Corporation (RDC) were particularly prominent. A special audit conducted by the Auditor General found that between 2021 and 2023, Fenaka entered into contracts worth MVR 2.2 billion, of which MVR 1.3 billion was awarded without competitive bidding. Certain Members of Parliament and senior government officials affiliated with the party were accused of benefiting from these contracts.

With regard to RDC, it was revealed that MVR 161 million was transferred to various parties in 2022 and 2023 without sufficient documentation. Of this amount, MVR 14 million was transferred to private accounts, including MVR 11 million received by a single individual. Although the company recorded a profit of MVR 34 million in 2022, it posted a loss of MVR 188 million in 2023, which increased further to MVR 229 million in 2024. Despite the deteriorating financial condition of these companies becoming a growing burden on the state, no significant action has been taken against those allegedly responsible.

Following his defeat in the presidential primary during that period, Nasheed departed from the MDP and went on to establish his own political party. However, he rejoined the MDP in June last year and subsequently regained a senior leadership position within the party.