President-Elect Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, who is due to take office in a week, has finalized his cabinet with senior members of his Progressive Party of Maldives-People's National Congress (PPM-PNC) and some lesser known individuals.
Adhadhu has learned from a credible source that Guraidhoo MP Gassan Maumoon, the PPM's vice president, will be appointed as Defense Minister, one of the most important cabinet posts.
Gassan, the youngest son of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, remained in the PPM after his father left the party.
Maavah MP Mohamed Saeed, who served as Economic Development Minister in the previous PPM government, will return to his old post.
Naifaru MP Ahmed Shiyam, a PPM vice president who led the opposition party over the past five years, is to be appointed as Fisheries Minister.
Maduvvari MP Adam Shareef - a former Defense Minister who challenged Muizzu for the coalition's ticket after former President Abdulla Yameen was barred from contesting due to his jail sentence - will take charge of the new Council Ministry.
Ministers chosen for Dr. Muizzu's cabinet.
Moosa Zameer, who was Tourism Minister in the last PPM government, is to be appointed as Foreign Minister and entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining a neutral or non-aligned foreign policy, a priority of President-Elect Muizzu.
Ibrahim Faisal, son of PNC chairman Abdul Raheem Abdulla, will become the new Tourism Minister.
Muizzu's campaign manager and former Island Aviation pilot, Captain Mohamed Ameen, will be Transport Minister.
Ali Ihusan, a former captain at the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), will become the next Home Minister. A graduate of an American military academy, Ihusan has been active in politics since retiring from the MNDF.
Vilimale' MP Ahmed Usham will be the new Attorney General. He previously served as Deputy Attorney General.
Dr. Abdulla Muththalib - Muizzu's Deputy Minister when he was the Housing and Infrastructure Minister - is to be appointed as Housing Minister after a separate ministry is formed for housing. He holds a PhD in civil engineering from the University College of London in the UK.
Muizzu has decided to transfer the National Planning mandate of the current Housing Ministry's portfolio to the Environment Ministry, which is to be led by Thoriq Ibrahim, former Environment Minister in the PPM government.
Muizzu is to appoint Dr. Mohamed Shafeeq, the Chief Financial Officer of the Housing Development Finance Corporation under the outgoing government, as Finance Minister.
Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, former Islamic Minister in the PPM government and Chancellor of the Islamic University, will return as Islamic Minister.
Dr. Ismail Shafeeu, who was Deputy Education Minister in the PPM government, is to be appointed as Education Minister. He is currently the Research and Publication Dean at the Islamic University.
Former Nilandhoo MP Dr. Abdulla Khaleel will be Health Minister and former Education Minister Dr. Aishath Shiham will be the Gender Minister.
Prominent journalist Ibrahim Waheed (Asward), who owns and manages Sangu TV, will take the helm at the new Youth Ministry with a separate ministry to be formed for the sports portfolio.
Sports physician Abdulla Rafiu, medical head of the Maldives Olympic Committee and Football Association of Maldives (FAM), is to become the new Sports Minister.
Dr. Mariyam Mariya, a senior tutor at New Zealand's Waikato University, will be Higher Education Minister, and Dr. Aishath Rameela will be Agriculture Minister.
Adhadhu has also learned that two of Muizzu's closest aides, Male' City Councilors Adam Rameez and Abdulla Naseer, are to be appointed among 10 Ministers at the President's Office.
Other new Ministers at the President's Office include Ahmed Hisham Wajeeh, Abdul Raheem's son-in-law, who previously served as Assistant Attorney General during President Yameen's administration, and former MP Ali Arif, a cousin of Muizzu's who endorsed him for the second round after resigning as Jumhooree Party Secretary General.
PNC Chairman Abdul Raheem is to be appointed as an Advisor at the President's Office at a ministerial level.
Other Ministers at the President's Office:
- PPM Secretary General Mohamed Tholal
- Former Public Service Media (PSM) Managing Director Ibrahim Khaleel
- Former Minister at the President's Office Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu)
- Former Health Minister Abdulla Nazim
- City Council Consultant Mohamed Shahid, former managing director of the Maldives Integrated Tourism Development Corporation (MITDC).
President's Office Ministers in new government.
