UPDATE - Kuwaiti PM orders limited cabinet reshuffle

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By Mohamed Abdel Ghaffar

KUWAIT CITY (AA) - Kuwaiti Prime Minister Jaber al-Mubarak on Monday ordered a limited cabinet reshuffle, official sources said Monday.

Al-Mubarak replaced four ministers, namely those of petroleum, public work, social affairs, and parliamentary affairs, while redistributing three other portfolios among sitting cabinet members, according to the sources.

Khaled al-Fadel was appointed Kuwait’s new petroleum minister, replacing outgoing minister Bakheet al-Rashidi.

The reshuffle came as an attempt to defuse tension between the government and parliament amid calls by lawmakers to grill ministers over government performance.

In May, outgoing petroleum minister al-Rashidi was interrogated and 10 members of parliament requested withdrawal of confidence from him.

Also, the outgoing ministers of social and parliamentary affairs were subject to interrogation while public work and municipal affairs minister Hussam Al-Roumi resigned earlier over damages caused by heavy rains in the country.

Kuwait’s cabinet is comprised of 15 government ministers and a prime minister.