Kuwait Amir reappoints Sheikh Jaber as PM

Kuwait City : The Kuwaiti Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah yesterday reappointed Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah as his prime minister, the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.

The Amir tasked Sheikh Jaber to nominate members of the new cabinet, KUNA said.

Sheikh Jaber on Monday submitted the resignation of his cabinet. The Amir accepted the resignation, whereby the cabinet will proceed amid urgent circumstances as a caretaker cabinet until the formation of a new one.

The government resignation came at the backdrop of a no-confidence motion filed by 10 parliament members of the National Assembly against minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Acting Information minister, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, for his alleged failure to implement legislation and abide by the budget.

The national assembly could not hold sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday due to the resignation of the government. The parliament elected in November 2016 has seen tension building as lawmakers announced plans for additional grilling of other cabinet members. 

Kuwait experiences frequent cabinet reshuffles, with the latest cabinet formed less than one year ago. Sheikh Jaber has been reassigned as prime minister several times since he assumed the office from 2011.