Kuwait Times, Wednesday, Apr 14, 2021 | Ramadan 2, 1442
Assembly drama continues as guards called in chamber
Kuwait: National Assembly guards were yesterday ordered to
enter the chamber to prevent possible clashes between lawmakers as political
drama continued in the National Assembly forcing Speaker Marzouk Al-Ghanem to
adjourn yet another session. Almost all opposition MPs went up to the podium to
prevent taking a vote ordered by the Speaker on a motion regarding a decision to
suspend grillings against the Prime Minister until the end of 2022.
As the Assembly secretary general began taking the votes, opposition MPs went to
the podium to stop him saying the motion is illegal and should not continue. The
Speaker then called the guards to protect the secretary general who continued
taking the votes. Despite heated protests by the opposition, Ghanem said the
voting was completed and that 33 MPs voted for the motion and the rest were
considered as having objected because they refused to vote. The trouble began as
the Assembly started to debate grillings. Ghanem asked MPs to proceed with the
grilling against the health minister but the opposition objected saying there
are three grillings against the Prime Minister before that.
The Speaker however told MPs that two weeks ago the Assembly decided to suspend
grillings against the premier for 18 months. Opposition MPs insisted that the
decision was illegal and should be considered null and void. He then ordered
voting on a resolution stating that the decision was illegal but the opposition
MPs said the resolution itself is illegal. Ghanem at this point adjourned the
session for the day. During the session, opposition MPs demanded that the
Speaker should add to the agenda a motion that calls on his dismissal from the
speaker post for violating the constitution and other laws.
Justice Minister Abdullah Al-Roumi insisted that the motion breaches the
constitution which clearly states that the speaker’s duration is for four years
and there are no clauses for his removal. Ghanem then asked the Assembly to vote
on whether to add the motion to the agenda and 32 MPs rejected against 28 who
approved it. Opposition MP Saleh Al-Mutairi said that opposition MPs will
re-submit the motion to dismiss the Speaker for breaching the constitution.
MPs were engaged in tense exchanges over what happened in the previous session
which was boycotted by over 30 opposition MPs to prevent the new Cabinet from
taking the oath. But the session was held and the Assembly passed a decision to
stop grillings against the Prime Minister for over 18 months. Opposition MPs
said the decision was not taken in accordance with legal procedures and as a
result should be considered null and void.