Ex-president’s daughter quits government

Deputy Education Minister Yumna Maumoon, daughter of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, has resigned last week, local media reports.

It is not clear why Yumna tendered her resignation.

The Maldives Independent was not able to contact Yumna at the time of going to press.

Yumna is President Abdulla Yameen’s niece and twin sister to Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon. She was heading the department of national heritage at the time of her resignation.

All four of the elder Gayoom’s children were appointed as ministers in Yameen’s government.

Faris Maumoon was minister of state for economic development before he was elected as MP to the Dhiggaru constituency during a 2015 by-election.

Ghassan Maumoon was the state minister for youth before he was appointed as state minister for social affairs at the president’s office in January.

Yameen’s administration has been besieged by multiple crises, including the arrest of opposition leaders and a corruption scandal involving the theft of some US$80million from tourism leases.