Parliament seeks PO clarification on ministers' dual citizenship status
President Muizzu sent his cabinet appointment for parliamentary approval last week.
By
Fathmath Ahmed Shareef
Parliament's government oversight committee on Monday approved a request to the President's Office to clarify if any of the 22 cabinet ministers appointed by President Mohamed Muizzu has dual citizenship.
President Muizzu sent his cabinet appointment for parliamentary approval last week. Parliament's government oversight committee met on Monday to review the appointments.
Speaking at the meeting, MDP MP from Vaikaradhoo Constituency, Hussain Ziyadh said that some of ministers had been living abroad for a long time until they were appointed to the cabinet. Therefore, it is suspected that they may have passports from another country, he said.
He said:
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In response to a letter sent to the immigration department to clarify whether they possess a foreign passport, the body said it was not within their jurisdiction to provide the details
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Therefore, the committee wishes to clarify whether the information was received from any other agency
Monday's meeting then discussed how to clarify the matter. Previously it was done by summoning ministers, but now ministers are prohibited from being summoned to parliament for their appointment review by a Supreme Court order, said the committee chairman, Maafannu West MDP MP Mohamed Falaah.
Therefore, after discussions among the committee members, the members decided to write to the President's Office requesting clarification of the information.
The committee chairman said the committee needed time to study the documents relating to the 22 ministers. Therefore, after studying them, the meeting to decide on the approval of the cabinet would be held at a later date, he said.
According to the constitution, cabinet ministers cannot have the citizenship of any other country.
The new government's cabinet:
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Minister of Defence: Ghassan Maumoon
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Minister of Foreign Affairs: Moosa Zameer
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Minister of Homeland Security and Technology: Ali Ihusan
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Attorney General: Ahmed Usham
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Minister of Economic Development and Trade: Mohammed Saeed
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Minister of Finance: Dr Mohammed Shafeeg
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Minister of Housing, Land and Urban Development: Dr Ali Haider Ahmed
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Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy: Thorig Ibrahim
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Minister of Construction and Infrastructure: Dr Abdullah Muthalib
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Minister of Health: Dr Abdullah Haleel
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Minister of Sports, Fitness and Recreation: Abdullah Rafiu
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Minister of Youth Empowerment, Information and Arts: Ibrahim Waheed
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Minister of Agriculture and Animal Welfare: Dr Aishath Rameela
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Minister of Cities, Local Government and Public Works: Adam Shareef Umar
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Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation: Mohammed Ameen
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Minister of Social and Family Development: Dr Aishath Shiham
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Minister of Tourism: Ibrahim Faisal
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Minister of Islamic Affairs: Dr Mohammed Shaheem Ali Saeed
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Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources: Ahmed Shiyam
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Minister of Education: Dr Ismail Shafeeu
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Minister of Higher Education, Labor and Skills Development: Dr Mariyam Mariya
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Minister of Language, Culture and Heritage: Adam Naseer Ibrahim
