VZCZCXRO4928
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHKU #2419/01 1711350
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 201350Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5307
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002419 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR ZEYA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2016 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KU FREEDOM AGENDA
SUBJECT: ELECTION COUNTDOWN: WELCOME TO THE BIG TOP: 
CAMPAIGNING KUWAITI STYLE 
 
REF: A. KUWAIT 2151 
     ¶B. 05 KUWAIT 3178 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Matthew H. Tueller 
for reason 1.4 (d) 
 
¶1.  (C/NF) Campaigning in Kuwait is quite a production.  In 
addition to waxing eloquent on all manner of issues, 
candidates are expected to provide lavish buffets, 
fresh-squeezed juice, copious amounts of tea and coffee, and 
big screen TVs showing the latest World Cup match.  And all 
this in the biggest, most ostentatious air-conditioned tent 
they can afford.  EmbOffs' visit to the campaign headquarters 
of Khalaf Dumaithir Al-Enezi, a six-time, pro-Government 
member of Parliament from the Al-Enezi tribe, showcased 
Kuwait's extravagant campaign style, particularly in tribal 
areas.  The environment at Al-Enezi's opening campaign rally 
can only be described as circus-like: powerful flood lights 
visible from miles away roamed the sky, strings of 
multi-colored lights adorned odd-shaped scaffolding 
resembling a city skyline, 20-foot high cylindrical campaign 
banners rotated amid freshly planted sod and flowers and a 
new Mercedes plastered with Al-Enezi's picture.  In the 
middle of all this rose an enormous big top tent the size of 
an aircraft hanger, capable of seating 1,500 plus people, and 
costing 27,000 KD ($93,400) per month, according to one 
supporter. 
 
¶2.  (C/NF) Standing on a platform with a fifteen-foot 
television screen behind him, Al-Enezi energetically 
addressed a throng of more than 3,000 men, many watching on 
television screens outside the "tent."  Footage of Al-Enezi 
was smoothly and professionally mixed with footage of the 
crowd filmed by a camera on a long boom.  When Emboffs 
arrived, they were escorted to the front row, causing 
Al-Enezi to pause and note to the crowd proudly: 
"Representatives of the American Embassy."  In his speech, 
Al-Enezi focused on a variety of issues, ranging from his 
opposition to the establishment of political parties to his 
ability to obtain Government favors for his constituents.  He 
also promised to introduce legislation writing off the 
personal loans of all Kuwaiti citizens.  He was joined by 
Awwad Barad Al-Enezi, an Islamist MP running for re-election 
in a different district, and a senior member of a well-known 
Shi'a family in the district.  Both spoke on Khalaf's behalf. 
 Awwad, who comes from the same tribe as Khalaf but differs 
with him politically and ideologically, spoke at length about 
Khalaf's character, which he praised highly in Islamic terms. 
 
¶3.  (SBU/NF) After the speech, the assembled throngs bolted 
for the massive feast laid out on the ground outside.  Eating 
at these events involves 7-8 men squatting around a platter 
of rice and lamb, which they dig into with astonishing vigor 
using their hands.  EmbOffs were treated to their own 
platter, which they devoured despite their relative lack of 
skill. 
 
¶4.  (C/NF) A 32-year old cousin of Khalaf's told Poloff that 
he was skipping work in June due to the demands of 
campaigning.  He explained that during the day he remained at 
the tent where World Cup matches were shown on the big screen 
television, and during the evening he either helped with the 
campaign rallies or visited the diwaniyas of men his age to 
drum up support for his cousin.  (Note: In some districts, 
there are more than ten thousand diwaniyas, almost one for 
every family.  See ref B for an overview of Kuwait's diwaniya 
culture.  End note.)  Asked about the impact of women voting, 
he said he believed the turnout among female voters would be 
very low in tribal areas like Al-Enezi's because, according 
to him, tribal women do not care about politics and cannot be 
bothered to queue at polling stations.  (Comment: Other 
tribal supporters have suggested that female turnout could be 
quite high in their districts since women will be called upon 
to support their tribe's candidates in the elections.  End 
comment.) 
 
¶5.  (SBU/NF) Not having adequate time to develop their own 
campaign style, women have followed the men's example by 
setting up tents and serving meals, albeit on a less 
elaborate scale.  Aisha Al-Rashaid has seating for more than 
1,000 in an air-conditioned tent and outside area situated 
along a major thoroughfare.  Her picture adorns billboard 
size posters, buttons, flyers, and Kleenex boxes.  Attorney 
Hind Ben Al-Shaikh set up separate areas for women and men, 
but her supporters chose to intermingle in the larger 
chandelier-lit tent.  According to both supporters and 
critics, Dr. Rola Dashti served one of the best meals in the 
history of election campaigning ("even better than a wedding" 
according to one contact) and there is lots of curiosity 
 
KUWAIT 00002419  002 OF 002 
 
 
about who catered the event.  Even those candidates with 
limited financial means feel the burden to entertain 
potential voters.  Contacts report that many of the women 
running for office, with the assistance of friends, family, 
and campaign staff, are personally cooking the meals to be 
served.  Generous hospitality is part of the campaign 
culture, and one Embassy contact who criticized the 
ostentatious events regretted that several candidates whose 
tents he visited had solid platforms--but without good food, 
the regular distribution of flyers, cassettes, and CDs, their 
chances for being elected were minimal. 
 
********************************************* * 
For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s 
 
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
********************************************* * 
TUELLER