The Parliament of the Maldives has revealed that preparations for the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Dr. Mohamed Muizzu are underway.
The National Tender Board has awarded the contract to Sifainge Welfare Company Private Limited (SIWEC) to prepare the Republic Square in Male' City for the swearing-in ceremony, which includes the installation of a surrounding fence at the venue. The preparations, with a total cost of USD1.5 million, includes various arrangements, from catering to the overall coordination of the event.
The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place at 1645hrs on November 17 at Republic Square. However, the venue will be moved to the Parliament building if the weather worsens. President-elect Muizzu requested that the ceremony be held at Republic Square to allow the public to view the function. Approximately 3,500 guests are expected to be invited to the swearing-in ceremony.
November 11 has been the official date of the beginning of the new presidential term from 1968 to 2013. However, in 2013 the presidential term began on November 17 after the Supreme Court annulled the first round of the presidential election that year. The first round of that year’s election was held on November 11, the second round was held on November 16 and the President was sworn in on November 17. Incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was sworn in on November 17, 2018, at the National Football Stadium.