Hala Hameed, the niece of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom has heavily criticized her uncle. Hala said that Gayyoom "is working to get his children into power."
On a status she uploaded to her Facebook profile, Hala said that she greatly respects her uncle for the changes he brought to the political system and the contributions he made towards the development of this country. She also said that despite all these things, Gayyoom has to accept the fact that he is no longer the leader of this country.
"I worked for him for over eighteen years and it was an honor. Stood by him through thick and thin through difficult times," Hala said.
Hala also shared her memory of the day her father Abdulla Hameed, a former Minister, was removed from President Maumoon's cabinet. The reason President Maumoon gave for the removal of Hameed was to bring in young and educated politicians into the cabinet, saying that Hameed had come to a retirement age, said Hala.
Hala said that her father had accepted this choice without any complaints or excuses.
"Today the elected President of the Maldives is President Yameen Abdul Gayyoom and whether he is a blood relative, a kin or a stranger, MAG is as much obliged to respect his leadership," Hala said.
Hala has alleged that Gayyoom's current work is an effort to come back into power.
"This is not being done for the people, it is being done to get power, for himself and his children," Hala has said.
Hala, who is the niece of President Yameen as well, and the permanent Maldivian representative to the United Nations office in Geneva, said that all four of Maumoon's children received high positions in President Yameen's government, and that leaving those positions is an entirely different matter.
Hala also said that she is standing by President Yameen's government the same way that she stood by former President Maumoon's government.
