Opposition MPs press to block return of some ministers

KUWAIT: Lawmakers including (from left) former speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem, Safaa Al-Hashem and Abdullah Al-Roumi gather at the diwaniya of pro-government MP Saadoun Hammad yesterday. Both Ghanem and Roumi are expected to vie for the speakership of the National Assembly. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: Early divisions surfaced yesterday among newly-elected lawmakers as only 20 MPs attended a meeting called by pro-government MP Saadoun Hammad, which was completely boycotted by the opposition. The meeting was attended by former speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem, former communications minister Essa Al-Kandari, Safaa Al-Hashem, Hamad Al-Harshani and the six Shiite lawmakers, among others.

Hammad said he had invited all Assembly members to the event, but only 20 attended and seven others sent their apologies including opposition MPs Jamaan Al-Harbash and Waleed Al-Tabtabaei. Last week, a group of 25 opposition MPs held a meeting to discuss the election of the speaker and agree on a number of priority issues. Two more MPs who did not attend expressed their support.

The meeting formed a committee to try to convince one of two MPs – Abdullah Al-Roumi and Shuaib Al-Muwaizri – to withdraw from the speakership race in favor of the other. Roumi also attended yesterday’s gathering, but left before the meeting ended. He later said he had left to attend a funeral.

Hammad said that nothing political was discussed during the meeting - especially the election of the speaker - which should be decided in the Assembly chamber, adding that he plans to contest the deputy speaker’s post. He said that if divisions persist in the Assembly, there will be a major problem over cooperation. Hashem said it is sad to see the start of the new Assembly with divisions, adding that she hoped to see all members at the meeting because people are fed up of divisions.

MP Faisal Al-Kandari said the meeting aimed at establishing cooperation between MPs and the government, adding that the meeting did not discuss the election of the speaker. Harshani said he has discussed with the Assembly’s secretary general preparations for chairing the opening session, being the oldest member of the house. He said the election of speaker and other posts will be carried out through the electronic system and not by ballot papers as demanded by some opposition MPs. MP Ahmad Al-Fadhl called on the government not to retain ministers with suspicions of corruption, adding that he wants the next speaker to be firm in running the sessions.

Meanwhile, opposition MP Mubarak Al-Hajraf called on the prime minister to drop the ministers of interior, information, social affairs and health, because they failed in their jobs in the past few years. He said Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Sabah mishandled the issues of citizenship and security, while Information Minister Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah devoted much of his time settling personal scores.

Harbash also called on the prime minister not to retain the ministers of interior, health and education who failed in their ministries, adding their return will trigger a political crisis. He called on the prime minister to cooperate in introducing amendments to the nationality law to prevent the revoking of citizenships for political reasons. He also called for amending the so-called political exclusion law which prevents certain convicts from running in elections. Harbash said the government should also cooperate to amend the voting system.

By B Izzak