Yameen: Independent institutions have collapsed under fear of government

Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has said that the country’s independent institutions have become “overwhelmed by fear of the government” while ordinary citizens continue to suffer under extreme poverty and corruption.

Speaking at the People’s National Front (PNF) Fehi Signal rally held on Thursday evening, one of the largest PNF gatherings in recent months, Yameen said the issue that angers the public the most today is the widening gap between the political elite and the people.

He said certain individuals who praise the government are becoming “extremely rich” while the public struggles with rising costs and declining living standards.

Yameen accused the government of distributing expensive land and lagoons in Hulhumale' and providing large sums of money to supporters of the administration.

According to Yameen, the Constitution created independent institutions such as the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to investigate such matters without government influence. However, he said the current administration has undermined that independence.

He claimed that the heads of the ACC are now appointed directly by the President and that their powers have been stripped, leaving them unable to investigate major corruption cases.

Yameen further accused President Dr Mohamed Muizzu of being the first leader to violate the 2008 Green Constitution, saying there is no mechanism left to “put the brakes” on what he described as the government’s illegal actions.

He said the country is now characterised by an authoritarian system where state institutions have collapsed under political pressure.