By Ko Myo / MPA
Thet Thet Khine, a former Union Minister who served under Myanmar’s military regime, has been removed from her position as Chairperson of the People’s Pioneer Party (PPP), according to a party statement released on Saturday.
The announcement, dated 21 February 2026, revealed that Saw Han Aye has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the PPP. Thet Thet Khine has been relegated to the role of Chairperson for the party’s Human Resources Committee.
Political analysts and insiders suggest the move was not a voluntary retirement. “Saying she stepped down is just to save face. It appears the military no longer wanted to see her as the face of the party and ordered her removal,” a former political prisoner told the Myanmar Pressphoto Agency (MPA).
The leadership shake-up follows a turbulent period for the politician. In January, Thet Thet Khine and a senior party member, Htet Htet Hlaing, were reportedly detained after an allegedly unauthorized secret meeting with foreign embassy officials. While the military-controlled Union Election Commission (UEC) initially threatened legal action, no formal charges have been pursued to date.
Some observers believe her removal from the leadership role may have been part of a negotiated deal to avoid imprisonment.
Thet Thet Khine’s political career has been marked by high-profile shifts. Originally a Member of Parliament for the National League for Democracy (NLD) under Aung San Suu Kyi, she broke away to form the PPP. Although her party failed to win any seats in the 2015 elections, she was appointed as a Union Minister by the military junta following the 2021 coup.
However, her relationship with the regime soured recently. During the controversial 2025 elections, she was disqualified from running as a candidate by the military commission over issues related to bank loans. Since then, she has been increasingly vocal in her criticisms of the military leadership, culminating in the recent allegations surrounding her meetings with foreign diplomats.
The UEC has yet to comment on her current legal status or the party’s leadership change.
