A series of leadership changes across state owned companies has taken place within days of the 4 April 2026 Local Council Elections and referendum, where the government saw losses in city councils and the proposal to combine elections was rejected.
Changes across key companies
At Fenaka Corporation, Managing Director Mohamed Najah was dismissed on 6 April. The following day, Chief Financial Officer Mohamed Jihad and Chief Resource Officer Abdulla Sanoon were also dismissed, while Deputy Managing Director Mohamed Arif resigned after being asked to step down. Interim leadership has been assigned to Adam Thaufeeq.
On 6 April, Mohamed Rishwan resigned as Managing Director of Maldives Ports Limited, with the resignation accepted by the Privatisation and Corporatisation Board. Hussain Didi was also dismissed as Managing Director of Agro National Corporation.
On 7 April, Mohamed Asbah Ali Naseer was removed as Deputy Managing Director of Housing Development Corporation following a board decision.
Additional removals
Additional changes were also reported in diplomatic and government roles linked to Asma Rasheed.
Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu), who served as Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, and Dr Salma Rasheed, Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva, were both relieved of their duties. They are reported to be the MP’s son and sister, respectively. These developments followed the circulation of an audio recording attributed to the MP, though its authenticity has not been officially confirmed.
Timing and context
Most of these changes happened between 6 and 7 April, shortly after the election results. No official link has been stated, but the timing has drawn attention. It has also sparked discussion about political appointments in state institutions and whether more changes may follow.
