"The citizens, journalists will not have to struggle to get information. If we are to do something in secrecy, there will never be peace in the country."
This was a statement made by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu during a gathering in Laamu Gan on December 25, 2023. Muizzu campaigned for the presidency with the pledge to have a transparent government and claimed that frequent meetings will be held with the media.
After assuming the presidency, Muizzu met with the media for the first time on December 2, 2023. He met reporters at the Velana International Airport (VIA) following a visit to Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and answered questions from journalists.
His next meeting with the media was on December 5. He briefed reporters about a Cabinet meeting held that day and answered questions from journalists. Since then, Muizzu has not met with the media and answered questions from journalists. It has been 100 days since then.
However, delivering his first presidential address on February 5, Muizzu claimed to have met with journalists five times over the first 11 weeks of his administration.
But during those five meetings, Muizzu responded to questions from journalists only on two occasions - after returning from the trip to Turkey and UAE and after the Cabinet meeting on December 5.
The other meetings held with the media mentioned by the President were a press statement delivered at VIA following a trip to China and a two-minute interview with journalists after the ruling People's National Congress (PNC) primary on January 27. It is unclear when the fifth meeting was held.
Meanwhile, the President's Office marked 73 days without a spokesperson on Thursday. Mohamed Shaheeb, who was the senior spokesperson of the office, was removed from the post and transferred to the post of State Minister of Foreign Affairs on January 1.
Shaheeb was transferred 18 days after his appointment. The government has not officially announced the reason for his dismissal from the post of spokesperson.
President's Office Communications Minister Ibrahim Khaleel told Adhadhu on February 20 that the President would appoint a spokesperson. However, Khaleel said he did not know the exact date when an appointment would be announced.
The President's Office press conferences, which were held after the Cabinet meetings, have been discontinued as well.
