All government ministers led by Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Sabah walked out of the parliament on Tuesday after lawmakers turned down the government’s request that Finance Minister Mustafa al-Shamali be questioned in two separate debates over alleged financial and administrative irregularities. The lawmakers said they wanted to merge the two allegations and have a single debate.
However, the ministers failed to attend the parliament on Wednesday as well, forcing the cancellation of the session, even after lawmakers agreed that the two debates be held separately.
Kuwaiti MPs accuse the government of plotting to dissolve the opposition-dominated parliament by refusing to attend its sessions because parliament sessions are illegal if no ministers attend, under the Kuwaiti law.
"The government boycott was the prelude to dissolving parliament which was elected just over three months ago,” said opposition MP Adel al-Damkhi, adding that "the government is preparing the Kuwaiti people to dissolve parliament".
Some MPs, however, consider the government’s decision to boycott parliament as an attempt to "cover up and rescue corrupt officials."
The Kuwaiti finance minister is accused of wide-ranging violations in his ministry and several departments he oversees.
Local media and analysts say that Shamali, who has worked in Kuwait’s finance ministry for more than four decades, may step down rather than face a vote of no confidence.
He first became finance minister in 2007 and has survived several cabinet reshuffles and impeachments in parliament.
