Mohammed Waheed Hassan

Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik (ޑރ. މުޙައްމަދު ވަޙީދު ޙަސަން މަނިކު; born 3 January 1953) is a Maldivian politician who served as president of the Maldives from 7 February 2012 to 17 November 2013, having succeeded to the office following the resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed, under whom he served as vice president.

He had previously worked as a news anchor, a United Nations official with UNICEF, UNDP and UNESCO, and a member of the Maldivian Parliament.

By 1976, President Waheed returned home to the Maldives, and took up a post teaching the Language at Jamaaludheen School in Male' (the capital of the Maldives).

President Waheed taught many students who would become highly influential members of Maldivian society both in the Government, as well as in the private sector.

Among his students is the popular television comedian Yoosuf Rafeeu (commonly known as Yoosay), along with members of the government such as the former Speaker of the Parliament, and current Foreign Minister, Abdulla Shahid.

President Waheed also taught many senior civil servants such as the current Elections Commissioner and the Minister for Presidential Affairs Mohammed Hussein.

During this time, President Waheed also helped develop the first English language curriculum in Maldivian schools.

By September 1976, President Waheed was granted a full scholarship to attend Stanford University in the United States.

After completing his master's degree in education Planning in 1979, he returned home to the Maldives in order to begin working for the Ministry of Education.

Subsequently, he completed his PhD in 1986, also at Stanford University, after which he remained in the United States for two more years due to the necessity of his newly born son to receive medical treatment.

And although he had the opportunity to remain in the United States, he elected to return home, giving up his job as a project manager of a technology firm, in San Francisco.

On his return to Maldives from San Francisco (at the end of 1988), he became the director of educational services in the Ministry of Education.

He was placed in charge of the Ministry for several months until a new Education Minister was appointed.

During this time he also served as a member of the National Council for Dhivehi Language and Literature, a member of the Atolls Development Advisory board, and a member for the Maldives Youth council.

In 1989, Waheed ran against Gayoom's brother-in-law, Ilyas Ibrahim.

Despite this opposition, Waheed won the seat.

Owing to Waheed’s vacillating political stance, a video song titled ‘Waheed Come and Waheed Go’ was reportedly made by Mohamed Shareef (Mundu) to the tune of Cotton Eye Joe, which later became viral.

It is believed and confirmed by other children of his mother Aishath Moosa that she was subjected to torture during Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s tenure and later passed away from her injuries while her son Naushad Waheed was in prison.

He was not allowed to attend her funeral.

Waheed claims to be the first citizen of the Maldives to receive a PhD, having received it at Stanford University in the U.S., and the first person to appear on Maldivian Television.

However, there are several who disputed this claim.

Waheed left Maldives in 1992, and he took a job with UNICEF, working in Tanzania and then Bangladesh.

In 2003, long-standing President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom appointed Waheed to the Constitutional Assembly convened to amend the constitution of the country.

When Waheed realized that the Members of Parliament would not be able to make dramatic reforms, he left the Maldives to complete his education in the United States where he received two Masters and a PhD from Stanford University; he was the first Maldivian to earn the latter degree.

After completing his education, he returned and stood for Parliament.

He assumed the office of president on 7 February 2012, following the resignation of the incumbent, Mohamed Nasheed.

Initially, Nasheed claimed that a coup d'état had occurred, however these claims were proved to be false by an independent report from the Commission of National Inquiry.

Nasheed initially accepted this report "with reservations", but later refuted it in its entirety.

His short tenure in office is regarded as one of the most turbulent periods in Maldivian history.

Waheed was subjected to racial abuse during his presidency and was branded a traitor by the supporters of his former ally Mohamed Nasheed.

Waheed was defeated in the 2013 election, having received only a little over 5% of the vote.

The results of that election were later annulled, however, Waheed chose not to stand for re-election.

Waheed is the oldest person to have been sworn into the office of President, having been sworn in at the age of 59.

Waheed was born to Hassan Ibrahim Maniku and Aishath Moosa.

He was the first of ten children.

President Waheed attended the American University of Beirut for four years, studying for two of those years in the midst of the Lebanese civil war; completing a bachelor's degree in English Language as well as a diploma in teaching.

Waheed was the first Maldivian Vice President to have fully succeeded to presidency, when President Mohamed Nasheed resigned after a mutiny, until November 2013.

Soon after taking office during his first press conference, he infamously asked, ‘Do I look like a man who would stage a coup d’état?’.

Although, he vehemently denies being part of a coup, during a press conference he revealed, ’I have proud political parties in this country who are backing me.

And then I have all the law enforcement agencies’ fully backing me.’