Report by Dalal Sharar
KUWAIT, Jan 16 (KUNA) -- Seven months after the independence of Kuwait on June 19, 1961 and the annulling of the Anglo-Kuwaiti Agreement of 1899, Kuwaitis began to move towards a bright future via establishing its first government during the era of the Amir Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah.
On January 17, 1962 -- after the constituent assembly's election of December 30, 1961 -- an Amiri decree was issued establishing the countryآ’s very first government chaired by the Amir Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem and consisting of 14 ministers amongst them three individuals from the 20 elected members of the assembly.
Despite the Amir being the head of the cabinet, the day-to-day responsibilities of leading the government was delegated to Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah.
The first government and the constituent assembly were given the task of formulating the country’s constitution establishing a five-member committee, headed by then Interior Minister Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, to handle this tough endeavor.
The committee held 23 sessions and coordinated its efforts with legal experts that helped shape the constitutions of several countries.
The committee finalized the constitution and sent it for vote at the constituent assembly with the Amir ordering the vote to be restricted to ministers and elected members of the assembly.
On November 11, 1962, the Amir Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem approved the constitution after its final draft passed the constituent assemblyآ’s vote.
The Kuwaiti constitution has 183 articles and five chapters defining the state and mode of governance, the nature of Kuwaiti society, public duties, roles of several authorities, and various forms of court rulings. It also has a memo explaining parts of the constitution.
The first government continued its tasks until January 28th, 1963 when the second government was formed after the very first National Assembly election, which was held according to the new constitution on January 23rd, 1963. The parliament had elected 50 members representing 10 constituencies.
Kuwait now has formed 39 governments in its history with the last established on December 28th, 2021 under the leadership of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, consisting of 15 ministers including five elected members of the National Assembly. (end) ds.gta