"I Want Reform, But on My Terms"

Reform across all aspects of life is the political leadership’s project in Kuwait today, following decades of manipulation, legal violations, and the frequent turnover of governments over the past thirty years, alongside patronage and nepotism that have eroded Kuwaiti identity and drained public funds. As a result, everyone has begun calling for reform, and today the train of reform has started moving to restore order, lest everything be lost. So, what is the problem? The problem is that there are still those who call for reform, but with conditions: that allowances received without entitlement not be abolished; that they not be transferred to a distant school because it requires specialization, or that the curriculum not be changed, lest their children be exhausted by relearning it; that the state not repair the streets in their neighborhood, causing them hardship in coming and going; or that police patrols not be deployed to check for violations, thereby obstructing those who wish to visit the Diwaniya. They want a magic wand that fixes everything without effort or hardship—this is the problem for some.

This is the logic of the lazy and complainers, whose inner voice says: “Let us remain as we were, talking and complaining every day with a cup of tea, at ease.” Yet, at the same time, there are those who want to work hard, offer different solutions and useful proposals, even voluntarily, to serve Kuwait and support every reform and development aimed at improving the future of our country and its people. These individuals are ready to pay the price of reform, and they constitute the majority, thank God.

There are countries that, when they began their path of reform, were devastated by wars and corruption and did not possess significant wealth, but they had vision, determination, and a populace that loved its country and was ready to build it. These countries started with education, industry, and agriculture, endured hardships, exercised patience, and preserved their states from collapse, even returning to export leadership. The Kuwaiti people are no less determined and supportive of their government and political leadership. Therefore, welcome to the reform of every flaw or violation that previous governments overlooked for any reason. We will endure all hardships on the path to achieving the desired results, God willing.

Among the reforms implemented are the restoration of Kuwaiti identity, the amendment of many laws (such as the Law of Instruments and Economic Circles in Courts and the law combating commercial concealment), the acceleration of residential city development, the revision of educational curricula, the Kuwaitization of education, the fight against administrative corruption, the accountability of cooperative societies, the regulation of charitable endowments and public benefit associations, the arrest of drug and residency trafficking gangs, and the reform of infrastructure, including roads and related services, as well as digital transformation to facilitate procedures. This has led to Kuwait’s advancement in the global economic reform ranking from 50th to 31st place.

We still hope for a review of vocational and industrial education, domestic tourism, and improving citizens’ livelihoods by controlling prices and ensuring quality. There is also no objection to reviewing certain laws, such as the Personal Status Law to regulate divorce and encourage marriage, and the Mandatory Will Law, to protect and pursue those who steal public funds wherever they go, and everything that benefits the citizen and the beloved homeland of Kuwait, may God protect it.