By Mohammad Al-Enizi, KUNA,
Kuwait : “What I have is not an election campaign motto, but a real ambition I am eager to realize,” said late MP and minister of education Dr. Ahmad Al-Rubei at an election debate organized by Kuwait University back in 1992.
Today, the phrase still sums up the situation on the Kuwaiti political scene, and the word ambition is still just right; one almost needs a miracle to realize his goals amid dispersed efforts and lack of cooperation, and the task in deed is an ambitious one.
Observers noted, in remarks to KUNA Monday, realizing goals stated in campaigns requires collaboration of several MPs and a powerful bloc at voting time, or, a government of MPs, which shares the MPs’ views and ordering of priorities and a working program which corresponds to the issues raised in the MPs’ campaigns.
The Kuwaiti Constitution does not state such government is to be solely, but “mainly” of MPs. And while the government is accountable for its working program, MPs are not accountable for goals they stated during their election campaigns. One reason for that is lack of a partisan system in Kuwait, observers told KUNA.
Political Sciences professor at Kuwait University Dr. Ghanem Al-Najjar said unfeasibility of a candidate’s goals does not mean his contributions are of little importance. These goals also indicate the priorities and stances of a would-be MP, he pointed out.
The role of the National Assembly is, after all, a legislative and supervisory one, not executive, he said. MPs’ could have input on the working program presented by the executive authority through his proposed amendments, inquiries, and reservations, the figure said.
As for avoidance of details in the election campaigns, he said a candidate is entitled to state issues of interest and priority. Once in the NA, he can seek the expertise of specialists on the issue at hand for the details.
If the candidate happens to be stressing issues and concerns on which he is an expert, he then has the ability to offer specific proposals and solutions, he pointed out.
Meanwhile, fellow Political Sciences professor Dr. Abderidha Asiri told KUNA candidates’ campaign statements are of little political weight and an MP can not be held accountable for election campaign promises or programs.
He further indicated most campaign programs are “mere rhetoric”, and personal observations which do not reflect a practical approach to issues. They simply reflect what “simple” concerns among the public the NA hopeful was choosing to address.
The factors that actually determine choice of candidate do not encourage serious approach or feasible campaign programs. Personal, tribal, factional and other such narrow tracks still determine who the people vote for most of the time, he noted. This, he stressed, is a main obstacle before political process development.
As to why candidates still go for campaign programs which they know are unfeasible, he said this is an attempt to gain voters’ trust in their potential, without any real commitment involved.
Though inquiries, observations, discussions, and proposed amendments could reflect the goals of a campaign once a candidate is in the NA, this is still not enough to address all the issue and realize all the objectives stated during an election campaign, the observer insisted.