Bahrain: MPs propose renaming city after late Kuwait Emir Sheikh Sabah

Cairo: Several Bahraini lawmakers have proposed renaming a city in the kingdom after late Kuwaiti Emir Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah in a gesture of appreciation of his humanitarian efforts.

Sabah, 91, died this week in the US where he had been hospitalised in July.

Five Bahraini MPs tabled a proposal to change the name of the city of Sharq Al Had to be the city of Sabah, Bahraini newspaper Akhbar Al Khaleej reported Thursday.

“The high standing of the late emir at the Gulf, regional and international levels, emanates from his humanitarian, development and cultural efforts that have drawn appreciation of everyone,” MP Youssef Al Zawadi, one of the five, said.

He added that the Bahraini-Kuwaiti relations stand out as an example of “brotherly and close” ties at all levels.

Muslims in Bahrain today performed a prayer for Sheikh Sabah in the kingdom’s mosques in response to directives from Bahraini King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa. The prayer was offered following the Fajr [dawn] prayer.