Kuwait
Emir Retains Woman Minister in New Cabinet
Arab News - 11 July, 2006
Kuwait’s Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah named a
new Cabinet yesterday excluding two key figures as demanded by the
opposition after its impressive election victory, but MPs blasted
the government for “falling far below expectations”.
State
media said the emir gave the energy post to Sheikh Ali Al-Jarrah
Al-Sabah, an energy sector outsider — keeping the portfolio within
the ruling family, which also retained the other key foreign,
defense and interior posts.
Massouma Al-Mubarak, who in 2005
became the first woman to hold a Cabinet post in the country when
she was named planning minister, was given the communications post.
She is the only woman member of Cabinet.
Outgoing Energy
Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahd Al-Sabah and other Cabinet members had
been accused by some ex-MPs of trying to influence the polls. Sheikh
Ahmad denied the charges as campaign talk.
Mohammad Sharar,
the outgoing state minister for Cabinet and Parliament affairs who
had also come under attack from opposition and pro-reform figures,
was also replaced.
Six ministers in the new lineup are
members of the ruling Al-Sabah family, including Prime Minister
Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.
Sheikh Jaber
Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah was retained as first deputy premier and
minister of defense and interior, while Sheikh Mohammed Al-Sabah was
retained as deputy premier and foreign minister.
Local
newspapers said both Sharar and Sheikh Ahmad asked not to be in the
new Cabinet. They said Sheikh Ahmad may head the National Security
Council. The new oil minister held the labor post in the old
Cabinet.
There were three new faces in the 15-member Cabinet
while other ministers were given new portfolios, state news agency
KUNA said. Returnees included Bader Al-Humaidhi, who as finance
minister oversees Kuwait’s multibillion-dollar
portfolio.
“The prime minister has responded in excluding the
two controversial ministers which is positive, but the lineup falls
far below the expectations of the Kuwaiti people,” opposition MP
Nasser Al-Sane told reporters.
“We expected a stronger
government, but it seems the results of the polls were not read
well. Let’s hope there won’t be another showdown. However, we will
judge it by its performance,” he added.
The June 29 elections
were called one year early after Parliament was dissolved following
a crisis between the previous government and MPs over an election
reform bill.
The opposition, a loose alliance of Islamists,
nationalists and liberals, won 33 seats in the 50-member Parliament
where the 15 ministers who are not MPs can also vote. Under Kuwaiti
law, the Cabinet does not require a vote of confidence from
Parliament but MPs have the right to declare non-cooperation with
it. The new Parliament is due to convene tomorrow.
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