Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom is a Maldivian politician, statesman and diplomat who served as the 3rd president of the Maldives from 1978 to 2008. He previously served as the Minister of Transport from 1977 to 1978, and as the Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations from 1976 to 1977. Gayoom is the longest-serving president in Maldivian history.
Gayoom was born and raised in Malé. After serving as a lecturer at the Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria, he returned to the Maldives in 1971 and worked as a teacher at Aminiya School. He was later appointed the manager of shipping department at the government. Gayoom was placed under house arrest in 1973 for criticising the policies of the then-president Nasir. He was later banished to Makunudhoo for four years but was released five months later as part of an amnesty following President Nasir's re-election for a second term. In 1974, he [|was arrested] again for his continued criticism of Nasir's policies, but after 50 days in jail, he was freed and, in 1975, appointed as Special Undersecretary in the Prime Minister's Office. Gayoom later served as the deputy ambassador of the Maldives to Sri Lanka and was appointed deputy minister of transport under minister Hassan Zareer. After serving as deputy minister, he was appointed Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations in 1976. Following the vacancy of minister of transport, Gayoom was appointed to the position. As president Nasir chose not to seek re-election, a vote in the Citizen's Majlis which selected Gayoom as the candidate. In July 1978, Gayoom won the presidential referendum with 92.96% of the vote.
During his administration, economic policies prioritised infrastructure development and tourism, which significantly boosted the nation's economic growth. He introduced educational reforms that expanded access to primary and secondary education and improved healthcare by establishing new health facilities. In response to political unrest and calls for greater democracy, Gayoom initiated constitutional reforms transitioning from a presidential to a semi-presidential system, intending to increase political participation and transparency. However, his presidency faced criticism for restricting political freedoms and suppressing opposition. The 1988 coup attempt prompted a focus on strengthening the armed forces. The 2004 tsunami had a profound impact on his administration, leading to the loss of 62% of the GDP and nearly two decades of development, which reshaped his policies and necessitated extensive reconstruction efforts. Despite challenges, Gayoom's long tenure, strict policies, and human rights violations, earned him a reputation as a dictator.
Following his defeat in the 2008 presidential election to Mohamed Nasheed, which marked the Maldives's first multi-party elections, Gayoom adopted a low public profile. In 2018, Gayoom was arrested on charges of conspiring to overthrow the government as a part of the 2018 political crisis, and was sentenced to 19 months in prison for obstructing justice after refusing to cooperate with the police and judiciary. He was placed under house arrest in September 2018 due to [|health concerns] and was released on bail later that month. He was acquitted of all charges in October 2018.
Early life
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was born Abdulla Maumoon Khairi on 29 December 1937, at his father's home in Machangoalhi, Malé. He was the first child of Abdul Gayoom Ibrahim and Khadheeja Moosa and the tenth child of Abdul Gayoom. His father was a lawyer and the 7th Attorney General of the Maldives from 1950 to 1951. Gayoom is a descendant of the Hilaalee and Dhiyamigili dynasties, with Arab and African ancestry.Gayoom spent his early years under the care of his parents at Kaamineege, their family residence. His birth name was Abdulla Maumoon Khairi, and he was familiarly known as Lhaseedi at home, while in school, he was called Abdulla Maumoon. His name was changed to Maumoon Abdul Gayoom due to a clerical mistake during the issuance of his passport for overseas education in 1947. When completing the passport form, an assistant mistakenly combined his commonly used name, "Maumoon", with his father's name, resulting in the name Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
Education
Gayoom received his early education through homeschooling, taught by his father, a teacher and scholar. He later attended the then-Saniyya School, studying religion, the Dhivehi language, mathematics, and Maldivian history. In 1947, he received a government scholarship to study abroad. He traveled to Ceylon intending to continue to Egypt but was kept there due to the outbreak of the 1948 Arab–Israeli war. While in Colombo, he continued homeschooling with a private tutor who taught him English.Gayoom then attended Al Bahjathul Ibraheemiyyah Arabic College in Galle but later transferred to Royal College, Colombo. After two years in Ceylon, he traveled in March 1950 to Cairo, Egypt, where he studied at Al-Azhar University. He spent six months learning Arabic in the university and later earned bachelor's and master's degrees in Islamic Sharia and Law. He also obtained a Master's of Arts in Shariah and Law and later began preparing a thesis for a PhD in Sharia and Law. However, his plans were interrupted when the Egyptian government ceased financial aid to Maldivian students after the Maldives established diplomatic relations with Israel. Gayoom protested by sending a letter to prime minister Ibrahim Nasir—an act that led to his blacklisting and a ban from entering to the Maldives. The ban was later lifted. During the 1956 Suez Crisis, Gayoom was volunteered to defend Palestine during the Israeli attack on Egypt. He graduated from the Al-Azhar University in 1966.
Gayoom also attended the American University in Cairo, where he furthered his studies in Islamic Sharia and Law and later obtained a secondary-level certificate in English.
Marriage and children
In 1965, the 27-year old Gayoom met 15-year old Nasreena Ibrahim in Cairo while she was there to study. Four years later, on 20 July 1969, the couple married in Cairo, Egypt, before moving to Nigeria for Gayoom to work at Ahmadu Bello University.A year after their marriage, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Nasreena welcomed their first children, twins Dunya and Yumna, on 20 March 1970. Their first son, Ahmed Faris, was born in Malé on 31 March 1971, followed by their second son, Mohamed Ghassan, who was born on 12 June 1980 during Gayoom's presidential administration.
Early career
Career
From 1969 to 1971, Gayoom was a lecturer in Islamic studies at Abdullahi Bayero College, then part of Ahmadu Bello University in Kano State, Nigeria. After serving at the Ahmadu Bello University, Gayoom returned to the Maldives in early 1971. From 1971 to 1972, he taught English, arithmetic, and Islam at Aminiya School in Malé, where he gained popularity among parents. In 1972, he was transferred to the government shipping department, where he served as manager.In 1974, Gayoom was appointed undersecretary and later became director of the government telecommunications department. Later that year, he was appointed special undersecretary in the office of prime minister Ahmed Zaki. The position ended in March 1975 when Zaki was removed from office, and the prime minister's role was abolished. Gayoom then spent time in Colombo before returning to the Maldives, where he was appointed deputy ambassador to Sri Lanka. In 1975, he became undersecretary at the Department of External Affairs.
In 1976, Gayoom was appointed deputy minister of transport and, on 24 September, became the Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations. He returned to the Maldives in March 1977 and served as minister of transport until November 1978.
Minister of Transport (1977–1978)
Soon after returning from the United States after serving at the United Nations, Gayoom accepted President Nasir's request to serve as Minister of transport. At the time, the position was vacant; Nasir appointed Gayoom as the minister of transport in March 1977. During his tenure, Gayoom focused on improving the country's transportation infrastructure.During his tenure as minister, Gayoom oversaw developments in transportation and aviation in the Maldives. He encouraged the use of engine-powered boats, which were not widely popular among the population at the time. He also contributed to the improvement of Hulhulé Airport by upgrading its systems. Gayoom worked on expanding the aviation sector by increasing flights between the Maldives and international destinations, supporting the growth of the tourism industry and improving travel options for Maldivians. His tenure ended upon his inauguration as president of the Maldives in November 1978.
Imprisonments
During the early 1970s, efforts were underway to expand the tourism industry in the Maldives, led by president Ibrahim Nasir. Tensions between Gayoom and the authorities—arising from earlier disputes during his time in Egypt—continued to grow. His remarks on alcohol and drugs drew widespread attention and sparked discussions across Malé. The government investigated the matter, placing him under house arrest on 12 March 1973. After a trial, Gayoom was sentenced to four years of banishment on 14 May 1973 and transferred to Makunudhoo Island in Haa Dhaalu Atoll on 21 May. He was released on 13 October 1973 under an amnesty following Nasir's re-election, having served five months.On 28 July 1974, Gayoom was arrested again for continuing to criticise government policies and held in solitary confinement in a Malé prison. After 50 days, he was released in September 1974 and ceased further public criticism.
Presidential elections
1978 presidential election
Gayoom was nominated for the presidential election in 1978 by his two brothers-in-law, who proposed his name to parliament. Both then-president Ibrahim Nasir and Gayoom were put forward as candidates to be selected as the sole presidential candidate, with Nasir receiving 41 votes and Gayoom securing 5 votes. However, Nasir decided not to seek a third term due to health concerns. The Citizen's Majlis nominated three candidates for the presidency: the Minister of Education and former Vice President Abdul Sattar Moosa Didi, the Minister of Health Moomina Haleem, and the Minister of Transport, Gayoom. In July 1978, the Majlis selected Gayoom as the sole candidate for the election—as required by the constitution.During his campaign, Gayoom pledged to visit every inhabited island in the Maldives within his first five years in office, if elected. He also promised to develop the tourism sector and improve education across the country.
On 28 July 1978, a public referendum was held, in which Gayoom received 92.96% of the vote, making him president-elect. Following his election, Gayoom faced criticism from the public opposition, who argued he was unfit for the presidency.