Maumoon active in political arena 'at his age' because of selfishness: Shainee

Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr. Mohamed Shainee has blamed former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom for President Abdulla Yameen’s failure to procure more votes in the 2013 presidential elections.

He made the comment in an interview to Channel 13, a station aligned with the ruling coalition, adding that Yameen was unable to get more votes as he was carrying the weight of an individual, who had failed to bring any development to the country 'despite being in power for 30 years'.

While Shainee continued to criticize the former President, Maumoon was previously referred to as ‘the leader of the golden 30 years’ by President Yameen and loyalists, and his backing was used by President Yameen when calling for more supporters.

Calling the former President ‘insincere’, Shainee said ‘it would have been better if Maumoon had just stayed home’ as a family member of his was in power. Maumoon and Yameen are half-brothers.

Shainee added that Maumoon’s decision to be more active in the political arena ‘at his age’ is because of his ‘selfishness’, adding that this was the reason ‘he is working to bring his son to power’.

The Minister was referring to Maumoon’s son, Dhiggaru constituency MP Ahmed Faris Maumoon. Faris has been representing the former President’s faction of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) in the opposition coalition’s work to reform the government. Maumoon, on March 24, signed an agreement with three other key opposition leaders, to work together.

Despite the accusation, Faris has gone on record saying he does not wish to contest in the 2018 presidential elections.

President Yameen won the run-off vote in the 2013 presidential election, with 51.3 percent of the vote, while former President Mohamed Nasheed received 48.6 percent. He received just 29.7 percent in the first round, prior to Jumhooree Party leader Qasim Ibrahim joining the ruling coalition.

Qasim has also aligned with the opposition.