The president of the Maldives has assured that the country is ready for a 'free and fair' election, 18 months after a violent change of leadership sent shock waves through the Indian Ocean island.
According to News24, in February last year, Maldives' first freely elected president, Mohamed Nasheed, resigned after a mutiny by police which he claimed was a coup orchestrated by former dictator Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
Following Nasheed's resignation, Mohamed Waheed, who was vice-president under Nasheed, was swiftly sworn in to replace his former boss, and he promised that the atmosphere is ready for free and fair elections even as the presidential candidates wrapped up their campaigning.
Waheed, who is also standing in Saturday's vote along with Nasheed and two others, said that he has given assurance of his government's full support for anyone who wins the election in the country, which has a strength of 350 000 people.