Manama: Kuwaiti lawmakers have requested to grill the prime minister and three ministers in one month’s time over what they call “unpopular” laws being implemented in the country.
The call comes despite a deal reached by MPs and the government to drop their request to grill the prime minister in exchange for reinstatement of revoked citizenships.
The lawmakers say they are not concerned with the political truce and have an obligation to fulfil the pledges they made to their constituents during the election campaign.
“There is no text in the constitution that protects the prime minister or any minister from being politically questioned,” MP Shuaib Al Muwaizri said.
“If our demands are not met within 30 days, the grilling of the prime minister and ministers becomes a right and duty for all lawmakers,” he told media on Sunday.
The lawmakers’ list of demands includes revoking the decision of increasing prices of petrol, electricity and water and stopping the privatisation of oil facilities, utilities and Kuwait Airlines.
“I hope that none of the brothers will oppose these demands, although I expect some politicians will attempt to shuffle the cards intentionally or unintentionally,” Al Muwaizri said.
MP Riyadh Al Adasani said that he would question Economy Minister Ali Al Saleh over subsidy cuts, arguing that he wanted to protect Kuwaitis from the expected increase in cost of living.
MP Abdul Karim Al Kindari said that the education minister would not be spared from grilling like his predecessors.
“The political situation during the last four years had kept lawmakers away from the education issues,” he said.
“There are grave issues that need to be addressed in the field of education. If previous parliaments had protected the education ministers because they were preoccupied with other issues, the current minister, Dr Mohammad Fares, will not be so fortunate. The dossier of education has been opened and I will monitor it closely.”
The current parliament was elected on November 26 last year following the dissolution of the previous one elected in 2013.
Several opposition figures won seats on pledges to revoke decisions to increase prices of utilities.
