Mohamed Muizzu | |
|---|---|
މުޙައްމަދު މުޢިއްޒު | |
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| 8th President of the Maldives | |
| Assumed office 17 November 2023 | |
| Vice President | Hussain Mohamed Latheef |
| Preceded by | Ibrahim Mohamed Solih |
| 4th Mayor of Malé | |
| In office 17 May 2021 – 17 November 2023 | |
| President | Ibrahim Mohamed Solih |
| Deputy | Ahmed Nareesh |
| Preceded by | Shifa Mohamed |
| Succeeded by | Ahmed Nareesh |
| Minister of Housing and Infrastructure | |
| In office 21 May 2012 – 17 November 2018 | |
| President | |
| Preceded by | Himself |
| Succeeded by | Mohamed Aslam |
| Minister of Housing and Environment | |
| In office 19 February 2012 – 21 May 2012 | |
| President | Mohamed Waheed Hassan |
| Preceded by | Mohamed Aslam |
| Succeeded by | Himself |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1978-06-15)15 June 1978 (age 47) Malé, Maldives |
| Political party | Congress (2023 – present) |
| Other political affiliations |
|
| Spouse | |
| Children | |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives | Muizzu Family |
| Residence | Muliaage |
| Alma mater | |
| Signature |  |
| Website | The President's Office Personal Website |
Mohamed Muizzu[b] (born 15 June 1978) is a Maldivian politician and engineer who has been serving as the 8thpresident of the Maldives and leader of thePeople's National Congress since 2023. He previously served as housing minister from 2012 to 2018, making him the longest-serving housing minister in Maldivian history. Muizzu was themayor of Malé from 2021 until his resignation in 2023.
Born inMalé, Muizzu studiedcivil engineering in theUnited Kingdom and completed his PhD in 2009 atUniversity of Leeds. He was appointedMinister of Housing in 2012 and served until 2018. He then became the Mayor of Malé. As a member of thePeople's National Congress, Muizzu was nominated as the presidential candidate following theimprisonment of former presidentAbdulla Yameen on corruption charges. Since Yameen was ineligible to stand for election, Muizzu was selected as his successor. He was the People's National Congress candidate in the2023 presidential election, where he defeated the incumbent presidentIbrahim Mohamed Solih. Muizzu has received the position of leader of the Progressive Congress coalition, as well as theCommander-in-Chief of the Maldives National Defence Force in 2023, making Muizzu the first democraticMaldivian president to hold the most positions in modern Maldivian history. Furthermore, he served as theSenior Vice President of the Maldives Development Alliance from 2013 to 2018, Deputy leader ofProgressive Party of Maldives andSecretary General of the Adhaalath Party from 2010 to 2014.
In the 2023 Maldivian presidential election, Mohamed Muizzu defeatedseven candidates, receiving 101,635 votes in the first round and 129,159 votes in the second round. His campaign, branded as Dhiveheenge Raajje (The Nation of the Maldivians), emphasisednational sovereignty,anti-corruption, and economic reform. The manifesto included promises to endforeign military presence and to enhance infrastructure andhousing development. In the2024 Maldivian parliamentary election, Muizzu's party secured asupermajority by winning 75 seats, surpassing the then–majorityMaldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which had previously held over 60 seats in thePeople's Majlis.
During his presidency, Muizzu has overseen policies including the expelling of Indian troops from the Maldives and endingsecret agreements made by previous governments with other countries that allegedly threatened theindependence andsovereignty of the Maldives. He also established closer relations with China. Muizzu has also focused on housing and structural development as well as the Government Policy and Legislative Reforms. In June 2024, he imposed a ban on Israeli passports, following theGaza war and started national fundraising campaigns within the Maldives to demonstrate support forPalestine.
Mohamed Muizzu was born on 15 June 1978 inMaafannu,Malé, Maldives.[1] He was born toHussain Abdul Rahman and Husna Adam Ismail Manik. Muizzu's father (1942–2015) was an attorney, lawyer and an Islamic scholar, fromHaa Alif AtollVashafaru.[2] Rahman received the National Award of Honour from then—presidentWaheed for "contribution in the area of religious awareness and religious education" in 2013.[3] Muizzu's parents separated shortly after his birth, and he was raised by his paternal grandmother until he relocated to live with his mother to attend primary school. He later returned to live with his father.[4] His sister, Fathimath Saudha, ran as a candidate for thePeople's National Congress in the2024 Maldivian parliamentary election for theNilandhoo constituency and won the election held on 21 April 2024.[5][6]
At the age of 20, he began working for the government in 1998, as a Construction and Public Works Planning Technician Trainee at the Ministry of Construction and Public Works, under the tutelage ofUmar Zahir.[7] In the 1990s, Hussain Abdul Rahman, Muizzu's father, established a daily rental hotel business. Rahman died in 2015, and the business was handed over to Muizzu, and the property became his presidential residence while the official residence,Muliaage, was undergoing renovation.[8]
Muizzu went toIskandhar School and was educated there fromLower kindergarten to Grade four.[9] He then transferred toMajeediyya School, the oldest school in theMaldives, where he studied from grade 5 to 10. In January 1995, he completed hisGCE O'Level exams, achieving first place at the national level.[10] He also attended the Science Education Centre for his Grade 11 and Grade 12 studies, where he completed his GCE A'Level exams in July 1997, securing fourth place nationally.[11]
In 2005 he obtained an ORS scholarship from the British government to study PhD in civil engineering at theUniversity of Leeds.[12] His PhD thesis concerned "Thermal and time-dependent effects on monolithic reinforced concrete roof slab-wall joints" and was awarded in 2009. He has also obtained theProject Management Professional (PMP) and PRINCE2 Practitioner Certification 2019.[13][14]
In 2012, Muizzu assumed the role of Minister of Housing and Environment during the administration of PresidentWaheed as a member of theAdhaalath Party.[15] He continued in this post after the2013 Presidential Election under PresidentAbdulla Yameen's administration.[16] By this time Muizzu was a member of theMaldives Development Alliance (MDA), part of a coalition government.[17] The Ministry of Housing and Environment was later restructured and renamed as the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure during his five-year term in office.[15]
From February 2012 to November 2018, Muizzu held the position ofMinister of Housing and Infrastructure, a tenure marked by significant achievements in the execution ofhousing projects in theMaldives.[14] During this period, the country witnessed the rise of its tallest buildings and the realization of major infrastructure undertakings, including extensive roadworks and land reclamation efforts.[18] Among the prominent projects completed under his guidance were theSinamalé Bridge,[19][20]Dharumavantha Hospital, Hiya Flats,Hahdhunmathi main road, Malé Ring Road, Malé Industrial Village, and the reclamation ofHulhumalé Phase II.[14]
Moreover, the development of numerous parks and public areas under his direction brought about a substantial transformation ofMalé City. Muizzu also facilitated the successful completion of various land reclamation, harbour enhancement, and water and sewerage projects throughout the atolls, contributing to the comprehensive development of the Maldives' infrastructure.[14]
In 2010, Muizzu was appointed as Secretary General of theAdhaalath Party. He remained in the position, while serving as Minister of Housing.[21] Following the2018 presidential election, Muizzu left theMaldives Development Alliance and joined the party of the outgoing president, theProgressive Party of Maldives.[22] In 2019, Muizzu was appointed the vice-president and the head of the Elections Department of the then-opposition (PPM).[23]
On 5 October 2023, Muizzu was appointed as the president ofPeople's National Congress, he assumed the role upon his victory in thepresidential election.[24][25] In December 2023, Muizzu was appointed as the president ofPNC's sister party,Progressive Party of Maldives following former party leader,Abdulla Yameen left the party on 23 November to create his own political party.[26]
In 2021, Mohamed Muizzu was elected asMayor of Malé, securing 12,470 votes against the candidate from the then–rulingMaldivian Democratic Party.[27][28][29] He was sworn into office on 17 May 2021 in a virtual ceremony conducted byHigh Court Chief Judge Haathif Hilmy.[30] This election marked a significant shift, as Muizzu became the first Mayor of Malé to be directly elected by its citizens and the first to be elected for a five-year term.[31] His victory ended 11 years of control by the Maldivian Democratic Party over theMalé City Council and saw him representing theProgressive Party of Maldives.[32][33]
During his tenure, Muizzu undertook house calls to gain a deeper understanding of the living conditions inMalé and advocated for decentralisation and the empowerment of local bodies.[14] He served as Mayor from 17 May 2021 until his resignation on 17 November 2023.[34] Notably, Muizzu was the first Mayor to resign from the position.[35][36] Following his election as President, Deputy MayorAhmed Nareesh assumed the role of Acting Mayor.[37] Muizzu’s resignation came after a term of 2 years and 184 days, aligning withhis inauguration as president on 17 November 2023.[38]
In 2023, Muizzu was part of several protests by PPM and PNC, which called for the release of former presidentAbdulla Yameen.[39] He was subsequently arrested and took into police custody, being released a day later.[39][40][41]
In June 2020, theProsecutor General's Office (PGO) charged Muizzu with perjury after alleged falsified statement in the court case against Noomadi Resorts and Residences Maldives.[42][43] He was summoned to theMaldives Police Service about the case.[44][45]
In March 2021, he was summoned to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which he claimed was political bias, while the ACC denied this.[46][47]
In August 2021,preliminary hearing for charges against Muizzu was held at theCriminal Court.[48][49] In May 2023, the court dismissed the charges against him, citing insufficient evidence.[50]
Mohamed Muizzu's presidential candidacy was announced in August 2023, Following theconviction of former president and opposition leader Abdulla Yameen for embezzlement. Muizzu was nominated as the presidential candidate for thePeople's National Congress, part of the opposition coalition, with Member of Parliament,Hussain Mohamed Latheef as his running mate.[51][52][53] In the first round of the 2023 Maldivian presidential election, he received 46.06% of the vote (101,635 votes), a plurality, and advanced to the second round on 30 September 2023.[54] He was elected president in the second round, winning 54.04% against the incumbentIbrahim Mohamed Solih's 46.04%.[55] Muizzu was sworn in as the new president on 17 November 2023.[56][57]Muizzu advocated for Yameen to be held underhouse arrest, rather than prison, the next day he was elected as president.[58] During the 2023 presidential election campaign, Mohamed Muizzu undertook an extensive tour of 153 inhabited islands and all major cities in the Maldives within 53 days. His campaign, themed "Dhivehinge Raajje" and endorsed by the PPM-PNC coalition, included delivering speeches at 205 separate events.[59]
As the 2023 campaign season heated up, Muizzu's campaign focused on several key issues, includingnational sovereignty, infrastructure development, and housing. He highlighted his commitment to reversing agreements perceived as threateningMaldives' independence andsovereignty, particularly those involvingforeign military presence. Additionally, Muizzu emphasized his plans for substantial housing projects and infrastructure improvements withinMalé city and other Atolls.[60][61][62]
In February 2024, Muizzu publishedDr. Mohamed Muizzu (Dhivehi:ޑރ. މުޙައްމަދު މުޢިއްޒު), a book containing his speeches during his presidential campaign.[63] It was officially published into government institutions, schools and libraries and The President's Office.[64]
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Mohamed Muizzu assumed office as the 8thPresident of the Republic of Maldives on 17 November 2023.[65] He is the fourth president to be democratically elected and the sixth fromMalé.[66][67] His oath of office, alongside his running mateHussain Mohamed Latheef, were administered byAhmed Muthasim Adnan, Chief Justice of the Maldives at the Republic Square.[68]
On 3 May 2025, Muizzu held a press conference that lasted nearly 15 hours, which his office said was a new record for a president.[69]
In the initial days of his presidency, Muizzu initiated the withdrawal ofIndian troops from theMaldives.[c] During his campaign, he promised to launch several housing projects within his first 100 days, establish a dedicated trust fund for housing, and implement a policy to cap housing loan interest rates at five percent.[75]Muizzu began efforts to terminate secret agreements made by previous administrations with foreign nations that he claimed threatenedMaldivian independence and sovereignty. He also appealed against the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea's ruling that affected part of the South Sea within the country'sExclusive Economic Zone.[d]
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On 7 January 2024, Muizzu visitedChina at the invitation of PresidentXi Jinping. His campaign had been focused on reducing Indian influence in Maldivian affairs, and he is considered pro-China.[80][81] Upon his return, Muizzu stated that while theMaldives is a small country, it should not be subject to bullying.[82] He outlined thatChina-Maldives relations are based on mutual respect, sovereign equality, territorial integrity, and non-interference in internal matters.[83] As of February 2024, Muizzu had called for the removal of allIndian troops from the Maldives. By 10 May 2024, all Indian armed forces had departed.[84][85][86]
President Mohamed Muizzu's foreign policy strongly supportsPalestine and consistently advocates for their rights on international platforms.[87] On 23 December 2023, Muizzu commended theUnited Nations Security Council resolution demanding increasedhumanitarian assistance for the people ofGaza. He emphasized that aid delivery amidst ongoing airstrikes is impractical and urged the international community to build upon this resolution to end hostilities and ensure the rights of thePalestinian people, including their right to self-determination. Following the Security Council's resolution calling for safe and unhindered humanitarian access throughout Gaza, Muizzu highlighted the persistent brutal attacks faced by Palestinians and called for stronger, more concrete international actions.
On 26 January 2024, Muizzu welcomed theInternational Court of Justice's order for preliminary measures calling onIsrael to prevent and punish direct incitement ofgenocide in Gaza. He stated that Israel must cease its military actions in Gaza and implement an immediate ceasefire, stressing that peace cannot be achieved through violence and displacement.[88] In line with his administration's support for Palestine, on 2 June 2024, Muizzu, following a Cabinet recommendation, imposed a ban onIsraeli passports.[89] This decision included amending laws to prevent entry with Israeli passports and establishing a Cabinet subcommittee to oversee these efforts. Additionally, Muizzu appointed a special envoy to assess Palestinian needs, launched a fundraising campaign with theUnited Nations Relief and Works Agency, and organized a nationwide rally under the slogan "Falastheenaa Eku Dhivehin" to demonstrateMaldivians solidarity withPalestine.[90]
In January 2024, Muizzu announced plans to establish a development bank and review economic policies. Following Cabinet discussions, he decided to create the Maldives International Financial Services Authority and aims to develop a creative economy.[91] Additionally, he launched a multimillion-dollar project to upgradeVelana International Airport to increase its capacity to 25 million passengers.[92] This project necessitated the relocation of seaplane terminals toFunadhoo.[93] Muizzu also announced the construction of two new airports to expand transportation and bolster the economy.[94]
Opposition supporters have given Muizzu the title "Kazzab", an Arabic word meaning "liar".[95] He was given this title after people started to point out apparent lies being made by him and his government.[95] In 2024, a critic of Muizzu was summoned to theMaldives Police Service after he expressed dissatisfaction over the raising of cigarette prices and calling Muizzu "Kazzab".[96][97] During Muizzu's presidential visits to the islands in the Maldives, people started to call him and his ministers Kazzab on the street and demanded his resignation.[98] Formervice presidentMohamed Jameel Ahmed used the word "Kazzab" in atweet against Muizzu.[99]
A report was leaked from theMaldives Monetary Authority which allegedly connected Muizzu to corruption citing irregularities in money transfers.[100] He had also been alleged to be laundering money through a media firm which is connected to him.[101] He had also allegedly threatened the CEO ofAdhadhu news over a phone call over remarks made by the opposition about his son,Umair Mohamed Muizzu.[102]
On 18 September 2025, Muizzu signed theMaldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill into law, allowing for high fines and the temporary or permanent closure of media outlets deemed to violate its provisions.[103]
Muizzu's presidency has been portrayed as atyrant's rule.[104]
His presidency also captured criticism after alleged political influence by his government in the country'sjudiciary.[104]
In an interview during Muizzu's election, Muizzu andFirst Lady Sajidha highlighted that they met onIbrahim Nasir International Airport in April 2003.[105]
Muizzu marriedSajidha Mohamed on 18 May 2003; they have three children,Yasmine,Umair andZaid.[e]
In November 2022, Muizzu underwentlaparoscopic hernia surgery and later went for a checkup back toSingapore in April/May 2024.[107] in 2025, due to mesh-related infections and recurring hernia, Muizzu'snavel was removed inMount Elizabeth Hospital.[107] When asked for more information,the President's Office didn't give an explanation and noted that it was a personal question as well as it was "stepping out of professional boundaries".[108]
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Muizzu earned hisDoctor of Philosophy (PhD) in civil engineering and was given the "Dr" title in 2009.[109]
In 2013, then-minister Muizzu was presented with the Maldives National Award by presidentMohamed Waheed Hassan for "Achieving the highest academic qualification in the Maldives."[110]
On 24 December 2023, the Maldives National Association of Construction Industry (MNACI) conferred[111] the "Bodu Rasgefaanu" (lit. 'great king') title on Mohamed Muizzu,[112] in appreciation of his contributions to the Maldives construction industry.[112][113]
On 29 April 2025,International Islamic University Malaysia conferred Muizzu with anHonorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Islamic Leadership and Madani Development.[114]
On 19 May 2025, Muizzu won the WHO Director-General’s Special Award in recognition with his administration's actions to reduce tobacco consumption.[115]
Mohamed Muizzu, the mayor of the capital, Malé City, who has pushed for stronger ties with China, won with an eight-point lead over Mr. Solih
Media from Commons
Quotations from Wikiquote
Texts from Wikisource
Data from Wikidata| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Mayor of Malé 2021–2023 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of the Maldives 2023–present | Incumbent |
| Preceded by Himself | Minister of Housing and Infrastructure 2012–2018 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Mohamed Aslam | Minister of Housing and Environment 2012–2012 | Succeeded by Himself |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | President of People's National Congress 2023 – present | Incumbent |
| Preceded by | President of Progressive Party of Maldives 2023–2025 | Succeeded by Party dissolved |
| Other offices | ||
| Preceded by | Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces 2023–present | Incumbent |
| Preceded by | Vice President of Progressive Party of Maldives 2019–2021 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by — | Head of the Elections Department of Progressive Party of Maldives 2019–2021 | Succeeded by — |
| |
| Presidency | |
| Elections | |
| Family |
|
