MDP’s Shahid accuses Pres Muizzu of ‘gross dereliction of duty’ for making new pledges on top of old unfilled ones

Abdulla Shahid, the president of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), criticized President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu for making new pledges on Thursday without delivering the ones he made in his annual address to the Parliament last year, describing at as a “gross dereliction of the duties required of him under the Constitution.”

President Muizzu delivered his annual address to the Parliament – his second one since assuming office in 2023 – on Thursday morning.

But his 09:00 am address was disrupted by lawmakers from the MDP who rose up from their seats holding posters expressing anti-government sentiments and began protesting as soon as he began speaking.

The sitting had to be suspended for nearly half an hour as MDP lawmakers were expelled from the chambers before he could continue with his address.

In a post on social media platform X on Thursday afternoon, Shahid criticized the move to forcefully expel opposition lawmakers from the chambers, and accused the government of undermining the pillars of democracy.

“The address that President Muizzu delivered today after forcefully expelling opposition lawmakers from the Parliament’s chambers, closing all doors to freedom of assembly, deploying armed soldiers to the streets of Male’ and terrorizing the people shows that the government is destroying all pillars of democracy,” he said.

އިދިކޮޅު މެމްބަރުން ގަދަ ބާރުން މަޖިލިހުގެ ތަޅުމުން ނެރެ, މިނިވަންކަމާއެކު އަޑު އުފުލުމުގެ ހުރިހާ ދޮރެއްމެ ބަންދުކޮށް, އަސްކަރީ ސިފައިން ހަތިޔާރާއެކު މާލޭގެ މަގުތަކަށް ނެރެ, ރައްޔިތުން ބޮޑު ބިރުވެރިކަމެއްގައި ބައިތިއްބައިގެން ރައީސް މުއިއްޒު މިއަދު އިވެވި ރިޔާސީ ބަޔާނުން ހާމަވީ,…

— Abdulla Shahid (@abdulla_shahid) February 6, 2025

Shahid accused President Muizzu of failing to deliver the pledges he made in his address last year.

He said that making new pledges on top of old undelivered ones constitute to “gross dereliction of duty” and that he is nothing short of “mocking” the Maldivian people.

“At the same time, making a pile of new pledges again today without delivering the pledges that President Muizzu made to the people in his presidential address to the Parliament last year is a gross dereliction of the duty required of him under the Constitution. This is an act of mockery,” he said.

އިހުތިޖާޖުކުރި އެމްޑީޕީ މެންބަރުން ތަޅުމުން ނެރެނީ:

ލައިވް ބްލޮގް - https://t.co/m3zec8JQYA pic.twitter.com/QoQSgTWJQr

— sun.mv (@sunbrk) February 6, 2025

Shahid said the MDP will continue to hold the government accountable and defend the Constitution.

“President Muizzu cannot silence the opposition,” he said.

The MDP lawmakers expelled from the Parliament include:

• South Hithadhoo MP Ibrahim Nazil, the leader of MDP’s parliamentary group
• Hanimaadhoo MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa
• Vaikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyad
• Keyodhoo MP Mohamed Niushad
• Maradhoo MP Ahmed Didi
• Thoddoo MP Hussain Sameer
• Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir
• North Galolhu MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudu)

President Muizzu resumed his address at around 09:26 am, after the they were expelled from the chambers. But as he delivered his address, they could be heard banging on the doors of the chambers.

Thursday’s address marks President Muizzu’s second annual address since taking office in 2023. MDP lawmakers had chosen to boycott his 2024 address.

MDP lawmakers later joined more of the party’s members, including former cabinet ministers and lawmakers, who were gathered outside the Parliament to protest against President Muizzu.