The Parliament has confirmed three cabinet nominees who were rejected by the 19th assembly. Attorney General Ahmed Usham, Minister of Housing, Land, and Urban Development Dr. Ali Haidar Ahmed, and Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, were reappointed by President Mohamed Muizzu and submitted for confirmation before the conclusion of the previous parliamentary term.
The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which dominated the 19th Parliament, had initially issued a three-line whip to refuse confirmation of four nominees. Despite this, after committee review and subsequent vote on 29 January, 19 cabinet nominees were confirmed, leaving three in the lurch.
In a move that sparked controversy, President Muizzu reappointed the three nominees to their respective posts on the same day of their rejection, allowing them to serve in the cabinet without parliamentary confirmation. The President resubmitted the names of the rejected nominees for parliamentary consideration, but the 19th Parliament did not complete the confirmation process before the end of its term.
With the inauguration of the new 20th Parliament, where the government-aligned People’s National Congress (PNC) commands a supermajority, the Government Oversight Committee once again moved forward with the task of reviewing President Muizzu’s nominations.
The committee gave green light for the appointment of the three ministers, a decision ratified by the Parliament during Monday’s session. 87 lawmakers voted in favour of confirming Attorney General Usham’s nomination, while Minister Saeed’s appointment received 83 votes, both without any opposing votes. Minister Ahmed’s nomination was confirmed with 81 votes in favour, though four lawmakers voted against his confirmation.
