Kuwait Society of National Integrity insisted that the 2020 National Assembly elections were conducted with a “high degree of integrity and transparency,” and were “well managed” in light of the large voter turnout and strict health measures adopted. The elections watchdog had monitored the electoral process after being invited to do so by the Cabinet, its director Mohammad Al-Otaibi told a press conference at the Kuwait Lawyers Association.
The one-day event was lauded as an “achievement” due it being held on schedule amidst the nationwide COVID-19 pandemic emergency. The society’s assessors were deployed across all electoral districts, with a large number of electoral committees and polling stations visited, and the voting process examined. They also attended the opening of ballot boxes and the sorting and setting up of results, which were all carried out in “very high transparency,” he underlined.
“The judges, prosecutors, and Ministry of Interior staff showed a great deal of cooperation in dealing with the society’s teams.” In its final assessment report, the society recorded “many positive points, with some recommendations and observations,” he said, however positive points “prevailed” with a “high degree of integrity and transparency.” There were 63 positive points, 18 observations and 12 recommendations recorded, he said, explaining that this illustrates a “high commitment to local and international standards of electoral integrity.”