Maya Hanoomanjee

Santi Bai ‘Maya’ Hanoomanjee GCSK is a Mauritian politician and former Civil Servant who was elected as speaker of the National Assembly of Mauritius in December 2014. She is the first woman to hold this constitutional office and accordingly is the 2nd ranked female in the republic after President Ameenah Gurib.

She is a former Minister of Health of Mauritius who served from 11 May 2010 until the coalition government of Mauritian Labour Party & Militant Socialist Movement dissolved in July 2011. She served in Navin Ramgoolam’s Cabinet. She served as 2nd Member of Parliament elected in constituency no 14, Black River & La Savanne from 2005 to 2014.

She is a member of the MSM and is the first woman to hold the office of Speaker.

In 2005, she joined the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) party. She was nominated by her party in constituency no 14, Black River & La Savanne, the largest constituency in Mauritius, in 2005 and she went on to win the elections. She won from the same constituency in 2010 and became the Minister of Health of Mauritius from 11 May 2010 until the coalition government of Mauritian Labour Party & Militant Socialist Movement broke in July 2011. She served in Navin Ramgoolam’s Cabinet during her tenure as a minister. She served as an opposition member till 6 October 2014. On December 2014, she was elected as the speaker of the National assembly. She is the first woman to hold this constitutional office and accordingly is the 2nd ranked female in the republic after President Ameenah Gurib. She was also elected President of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Africa Region) on 14 August 2015 in Kenya, Nairobi at the 46th CPA (Africa Region) Conference. She was conferred highest distinction of the country and elevated to the rank of the Grand Commander of the Star and Key (GCSK) on 12 March 2015 for her political, social and public service.