Wife of ex-Minister Adam Shareef appointed as State Minister following resignation at President Muizzu's request!
The government has appointed Zeenaaz Adnan, the former Secretary General of the PNC, as a State Minister at the Ministry of Health, although the appointment has not been officially announced. Zeenaz has already assumed her duties, specifically overseeing the ministry's gender section. Additionally, Adam Shareef Umar, who recently resigned as the Minister of Cities, Local Government and Public Works, has been appointed as an Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Zeenaaz Adnan, the spouse of Minister of Local Government Adam Shareef Umar, has resigned from her position at the direction of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. | PNC
Zeenaaz Adnan, wife of Adam Shareef Umar, who recently resigned as Local Government Minister at the request of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, has been appointed as a Minister of State for Health.
Zeenaaz, who previously served as the Secretary General of the ruling People's National Congress (PNC), was appointed to the post on June 4th. The Ministry of Health confirmed to the media that she has already reported for duty. The Ministry further clarified that she will be overseeing the gender-related division within the ministry.
However, the government did not disclose his appointment at the time it was made. Previously, various state institutions have consistently made public the details of individuals appointed to such high-level positions.
President Muizzu has nominated Adam Shareef for the position of Maldivian Ambassador to Qatar. Adam Shareef resigned unexpectedly on April 14, 2026. Following his resignation, he was appointed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the ministerial level.
The government has not disclosed the exact date of Adam Shareef's appointment to the post. However, government spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef confirmed on April 27, 2026, that he has been appointed as Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has recently implemented significant changes to his cabinet. Following these reshuffles, some of the outgoing ministers have been appointed as ambassadors, while others have been assigned to various government positions at the ministerial level.
Despite the government’s claims of actively working to "downsize" the state apparatus, the current reality reflects the creation of new positions and the appointment of individuals to various roles with high salaries. At the same time, ordinary citizens who were recruited into state-owned enterprises such as Fenaka ahead of the elections are now being dismissed from their jobs under various pretexts.
