Tribals and Islamists sweep civic polls

Tribal candidates won six of the 10 seats in Kuwait's municipal council elections as the results for the country's last all-male polls came out.

Two seats were claimed by Islamists while the rest were won by liberal-leaning businessmen. Official figures show that turnout was around 50 per cent against 61 per cent in the previous elections held in 1999.

The results came as Kuwaiti Prime Minister Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah said yesterday that he intends to appoint women as members in the Municipal Council.

"There will be women in the municipal council. I say this, but don't ask me about their number now. Kuwaiti women will share the responsibility with their Kuwaiti brothers to serve this country," Shaikh Sabah told the Al Watan daily.

An announcement inducting women into the council is expected to be made tomorrow following the weekly Cabinet meeting.

The writer is a journalist based in Kuwait City