No election campaign since democracy was introduced in Kuwait 44 years ago has seen such an intense focus on corruption, which has become virtually the only issue debated at hundreds of election rallies.
"Corrupt forces have now become an organized institution. They have succeeded in controlling the decision-making in the cabinet. Their next goal is to rule Kuwait," prominent opposition candidate Adnan Abdel Samad has charged.
"Today, corruption symbols are using every method to influence the election outcome and seize control of parliament, so no one will stop them from stealing Kuwait," Abdel Samad, a former Shia Islamist MP, said at a rally this week.
Many candidates publicly named top ruling family members and senior ministers as being the "symbols of corruption" and warned against reappointing them to the new, post-election cabinet.
Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah dissolved parliament on May 21 following a bitter dispute between opposition MPs and the government over an election reform bill.
The polls are to be held on June 29.
Opposition candidates accused "corrupt ministers" and other influential people of trying to prevent their reelection by sponsoring rampant vote-buying in many of the 25 constituencies.
"Some government agencies are interfering in the election to support certain candidates who are pro-government," charged Islamist MP Faisal Al Muslim, who is seeking reelection.
Opposition candidates and civic organizations provided details of corruption methods to influence election results.
They claimed that huge funds have been set up to offer up to KD3,000 ($10,000) for a voter ready to support certain candidates.
"Corrupt elements" are offering KD500 for voters so they don't vote for opposition candidates, they alleged.
"They are criminals. They are visiting homes and offering people money to buy their votes. The government is watching and has done nothing," said outgoing liberal MP Mohammed Jassem Al Sager.
Allegations of corruption have become common in Kuwait, which sits on 10 percent of global oil reserves and pumps some 2.5 million barrels per day. It has a native population of just 1 million people.
The emirate has boasted some $50 billion in budget surpluses over the past seven years and an equal amount from returns on its huge foreign assets, currently estimated at more than $150 billion.
Kuwaiti people are getting involved in the fight against corruption as civic organizations have mobilized special bodies to monitor vote-buying in constituencies. Some of them have reported cases to the government.
"For the first time ever, there is a direct confrontation between the people of Kuwait and symbols of corruption," declared veteran opposition figure Ahmed Al Saadun at an election rally this week.
Many candidates described the election campaign as a "real battle" between corruption and democratic forces, claiming that corrupt elements are fighting a "do or die" war.
"This battle with corruption can have only one result: the downfall of corruption ... I will not retire until we chase them one by one," vowed 72-year-old Saadun, who has been a member of parliament since 1971 and is a three-time former speaker.
© 2006 Agence France-Presse
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