Manama: A Kuwaiti lawmaker on Tuesday filed a motion to grill the minister of social affairs and labour over alleged violation of the law and mismanagement. It is the fifth such move since the parliament was elected and the government was formed in February.
In filing the motion, MP Al Saifi Mubarak Al Saifi, said that questioning would focus on three topics where the minister, Hamad Al Rajeeb, has allegedly failed.
“The first topic is about the minister is not apt to cooperate with the lawmakers after he passed judgements over social segments represented in the parliament,” the MP said, referring mainly to opinion pieces written by the minister in local dailies and which he perceived as biased against tribes.
“The second topic is breaking the law and mismanagement in overseeing ministry sectors while the third is problems in the cooperation work,” Al Saifi said.
Reports in Kuwait City said that the parliament majority did not support the questioning motion amid statements that the minister’s performance since his appointment in February was “convincing.”
“Al Saifi cannot have our support unless we are convinced by the topics,” MP Mohammad Al Kindari said, quoted by Sabr news site.
However, MP Abaid Al Wasmi said that the quizzing move and timing were “right”.
The finance minister last week handed in his resignation after he was grilled by the parliament over alleged mismanagement and favours for some people. The current government was formed two weeks after the parliament was voted in on February 2.
Relations between the two institutions have been strained, with a tendency by lawmakers to file motions to summon ministers, including the prime minister, for questioning.
Several observers have predicted the clashes may result in the dissolution of the parliament or the resignation of the government.
