President’s Office minister Shifaz dismissed

Mohamed Shifaz has been dismissed from his post as minister at the President’s Office.

President’s Office spokesperson Miuvaan Mohamed confirmed Shifaz’s dismissal on Wednesday.

Shifaz, a deputy leader of the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), was appointed as a minister at the President’s Office after President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih took office in 2018. He had previously served as the Baarah MP.

Shifaz’s dismissal comes amid the widening rift within MDP, with the party’s leader Mohamed Nasheed’s allies engaging in negotiations with Jumhoory Party (JP) for a potential coalition for the upcoming presidential election. Shifaz is one of Nasheed’s closest allies, and has taken a lead role in Nasheed’s ‘Fikuregge Dhirun’ movement.

Shifaz’s dismissal comes a few days after another one of Nasheed’s allies, Hussain Amr Mohamed Rashad was dismissed as managing director of the State Trading Organization (STO). Amr, too, was dismissed following allegations of openly moving against the government’s policies.

Nasheed and his allies have refused to back President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih – who won the MDP presidential ticket back in January to pave the path for re-election.

Nasheed’s faction have decided to partner with JP for the election and have launched negotiations to draft a manifesto.