Minister Dunya’s retweets sparks defection debate

Two retweets of State Minister for Ministry of Health Dunya Maumoon has sparked intense debate over her support.

Dunya is daughter to former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and niece to President Abdullah Yameen.

She had retweeted a post made by her twin Yumna Maumoon over the Supreme Court’s decision to release their brother Dhiggaru Constituency MP Ahmed Faris Maumoon from jail. MP Faris is in jail on charges that he had conspired to overthrow this administration.

Yumna had tweeted thanks to Almighty Allah, which Dunya had retweeted.

Her second retweet involved popular singer Shalabee Ibrahim. Shalabee had tweeted a picture of him with Chief Justice Abdullah Saeed, who was the chief guest in the ceremony held to release his second album. Coincidentally, Chief Justice Saeed was the first signatory on the apex court’s ruling.

Following these two retweets, speculation rose that she was about ally herself with sister Yumna and brother Faris in their reform movement.

However, the Minister is yet to release a direct statement on the matter.

Dunya previously served as Foreign Minister in this administration. She had resigned citing differences of opinion over the state’s insistence on implementing death penalty. However, she rejoined in a lesser cabinet position of State Minister and had taken the side of President Yameen in the ongoing clash of Gayoom’s between her father and uncle.

While she had stressed that she supports her uncle fully, most had speculated these retweets were an indication that she is to join her siblings and father and revoke her support for the Government.