MDP to boycott President’s address to Parliament

The main opposition MDP – which holds a majority in the Parliament – has decided to boycott President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s address to the Parliament on Monday, at this year’s inaugural sitting.

A top lawmaker from MDP confirmed the party’s parliamentary group made the decision on Sunday night.

In a later statement, the MDP said it decided to boycott the address because of President Muizzu’s decision to abandon the years-long practice of making the day a public holiday.

The party said the decision is meant to diminish the Parliament’s honor.

MDP said that another reason it decided to boycott the address is because top government officials were involved in rioting outside the Parliament on the day of the cabinet approval vote, throwing rocks and water bottles inside the Parliament building, and creating fear among the public.

The party accused the government of making no effort to stop the protestors as they threatened and physically assaulted lawmakers, and of attempting to undermine the Parliament’s authority and infringe on its privileges.

MDP said it decided to boycott the address as a form of peaceful protest “in condemnation of the actions of the government that is far removed from democracy.”

President Muizzu is set to deliver his first address to the Parliament on Monday.

Earlier Sunday, President Muizzu, accompanied by Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef, visited the Parliament to check the latest preparations for the inaugural sitting.

President Muizzu took his oath of office on November 17, 2023. He asked the Parliament for approval for the 22 members of his cabinet, the next day. However, the Parliament went to recess in December without taking the vote.

The Parliament took the long-delayed cabinet approval vote in an extraordinary sitting on January 29.

While 19 out of the 22 members of the cabinet passed the vote, three were rejected. They are:

• Housing Minister Dr. Ali Haidar Ahmed
• Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed
• Attorney General Ahmed Usham

The MDP had passed a three-line red whip the day before to reject the three ministers, as well as Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed. Saeed narrowly survived the vote on Monday.

But within hours of the vote, Usham, Haidar and Shaheem were reappointed to the cabinet.

MDP has questioned the legitimacy of the move, and remains adamant that they will not endorse the three ministers. According to the party, the Parliament’s counsel general Fathimath Filza has stated that their names cannot be sent to the Parliament for approval, given the earlier rejection.

Meanwhile, the MDP has also warned they plan on filing a motion to impeach President Muizzu in the upcoming session.

The Parliament’s standing orders was recently amended to lower the number of votes required to pass an impeachment motion.

This means that the MDP and its ally Democrats, which have 56 votes between them, can impeach the president if they wish.

The Attorney General’s Office has contested the amendment with the Supreme Court, arguing that the Parliament did not have the authority to make the change.