President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who is seeking re-election, has strongly criticized his rival candidate, Male' Mayor Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.
Speaking at a mass campaign rally held at Male' Carnival Area on Friday night, President Solih said he would not allow the PPM-PNC presidential candidate, who is also the Male' Mayor, to finance his campaign by selling parking zones on Male' City roads.
The President said the sale of parking slots sold by the Male' City Council during Muizzu's tenure as mayor would be stopped in his second term. He said his administration's policy is to free up streets and establish designated parking areas, and asserted that there would be no room for campaign financing through the sale of city streets.
Highlighting the significant progress achieved during his five years in office, the President said the development brought to the country in his five years in office is unmatched by any previous government. Citing an example, the President said there would be no other government that has carried out water, sewerage, and housing projects as the current government did.
The President said, as promised, over 19,000 residents of Male' City have been assured land from the city, and more than 13,000 individuals in the Male' area have been guaranteed flats. He pledged that his second term would prioritize finding comprehensive and effective solutions to the city's housing issues.
“By God's will, we will finish this work and solve the problem for everyone who needs housing,” he said.
Shifting to the topic of sports facilities, the President addressed initial skepticism for his efforts to establish sports facilities across the Maldives. However, the success of local athletes at the ongoing IOIG emphasizes the significance of the sports facilities established during his presidency, he said. He noted that the Maldives has now won 27 medals in the tournament, nearly twice as many as in the previous Games. The President also said that the most medals in the sports field were won during his presidency, stressing that these achievements underscore the importance of developing sports facilities in the Maldives.
Regarding foreign policy, the President reiterated his commitment to a foreign policy based on Islam and nationalism, which includes the India First Policy and the One China Policy.
