Kuwait Times, Tuesday, Mar 30, 2021 | Shaaban 16, 1442
Amir hopes for cooperation in today’s Assembly session
Kuwait:
HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah expressed yesterday
hope for fruitful cooperation between the executive and legislative authorities
during today’s National Assembly session. HH the Amir also expressed his desire
that the session will be held without tensions to enable the Cabinet – headed by
HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah – to take oath in
accordance with the constitution.
The government must be given the proper time to exercise its authorities and
attend to its responsibilities, especially during the current trying times,
affirmed HH the Amir. He said cooperation between the executive and legislative
branches is important for the country, adding that the law and rulings by the
constitutional court are above all.
HH the Amir also stressed that article 50 of the constitution regarding
separation of duties among the authorities and cooperation amongst them is vital
for the success of the Kuwaiti democratic process. He expressed confidence that
MPs are up to task and will help the government achieve the interests of people
and maintain the security and stability of Kuwait.
The National Assembly is now highly expected to hold its meeting today, as 32
opposition lawmakers appear to have failed to sway one more MP to join their
camp to have the magical number of 33 necessary to stop the meeting. Three
undecided tribal lawmakers, whom the opposition had hoped to win over, yesterday
bluntly said they will attend the session after meeting HH the Amir and
declaring allegiance to his call
If the session takes place, Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem is scheduled to announce
that the membership of leading opposition MP Bader Al-Dahoum is null and void
based on a ruling by the constitutional court, which Dahoum and many legal
experts claim violated an earlier and more important verdict by the court of
cassation that allowed him to run for public office.
In the Dec 5 general polls, Dahoum won a seat in the Assembly resoundingly,
securing the second highest number of votes in the country. But three voters
from his constituency challenged his election and the constitutional court ruled
his election was null and void on the basis that he was convicted of insulting
HH the Amir in 2014.
Dahoum is a member of the Awazem tribe, the largest bedouin tribe in Kuwait.
Dozens of his tribesmen yesterday thronged the residences of a number of other
Awazem lawmakers and called on them to boycott the session. Police intervened
and asked the angry crowds to disperse because they violated health regulations
imposed to combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Four of the seven
Awazem MPs have said they will attend the session.
Opposition MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri yesterday lashed out at HH the Prime Minister
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah and the speaker and called on them to step down,
saying this will save Kuwait from nonstop political crises. He said opposition
MPs planning to boycott the session will gather at the Assembly gate and will
not attend the session if it starts. He said even if the prime minister is
allowed to take the oath, he will be facing a series of grillings backed by a
majority of lawmakers.
Opposition MPs Hasan Jowhar, Muhannad Al-Sayer and Muhalhal Al-Mudhaf yesterday
filed to grill the prime minister because the government has not submitted its
program for this period and over its failure to fight corruption and safeguard
public funds. The grilling will not be debated in today’s session if it takes
place and will be discussed after two weeks. Opposition lawmakers plan to file
another grilling against the prime minister. This is expected to trigger more
political crises in the country between the opposition and the government.