Ministry of Interior (Kuwait) explained

Agency Name:Ministry of Interior
Type:Ministerial Department
Motto:الله والوطن والامير
God, Country and The Emir
Preceding1:Directorate of Public Security Force
Police Directorate
(1938–1962)
Jurisdiction:Government of Kuwait
Headquarters:Kuwait City
Minister1 Name:Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Al-Sabah
Child1 Agency:Office of the Minister of Interior
Child2 Agency:Office of the Interior Undersecretary
  • Military Offices of the Assistant Undersecretaries of the Kuwait Police
  • Offices of the Assistant Undersecretaries of the Kuwait Police
Website:www.moi.gov.kw

The Ministry of Interior (Arabic: وزارة الداخلية الكويتية) is one of the governmental bodies of Kuwait. Its minister in charge is a member of the Cabinet of Kuwait and the current minister of interior is Sheikh Fahad Yousef Al-Sabah.

Directors of the Directorate of Public Security Force, Directorate of Police, Kuwait Army (1938–1962)

The Kuwait Army split from the Directorate of Public Security Force in 1953; subsequently, the latter merged with Directorate of Police to form Directorate of Public Security and Police in 1959; following the demolition of the defensive wall of Kuwait in 1957 which later formed the Kuwait Ministry of Interior including the Kuwait Police.

Directors of the Directorate of Public Security Force, Directorate of Police and Kuwait Army

NameRankTenure FromTenure UntilNote
1 Sheikh Ali Khalifa Al-Abdullah II Al-Sabah 1938 1942 Lead Cavalry Commander during the Battle of Jahra and the Battle of Al-Regeai
2 Sheikh Abdullah Mubarak Al-Sabah 1942 1961 General Commander of Kuwait Army and Directorate of Public Security Force (1942-1961) until the two split in 1953.
Founder and patron of the Kuwaiti Army and Kuwaiti Air Force.
Field Marshal of Kuwait Army, Kuwait Air Force (1949-1961) prior to the forming of the Chief of the General Staff of Kuwait Armed Forces in (1963)
Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base is named after him.

Directors of the Directorate of Public Security Force and Directorate of Police (1959)

NameRankTenure FromTenure UntilNote
1 1953 1959 Pioneer in the early formings of the Directorate of Police since 1938.
12th Ruler and 2nd Emir of Kuwait.
2 Saad Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah1961 1962 General Commander of the Directorate of the Public Security Force and Directorate of Police.
First military officer to head the Kuwait Ministry of Defense since 1964.
First military officer to head the Kuwait Ministry of Interior since 1962.

Deputy Directors of the Directorate of Public Security Force, Directorate of Police and Kuwait Army (1938–1962)

In 1953 and aside of the Police Directorate; the Kuwait Army split from the Directorate of Public Security Force which gave rise to the Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defense following the country's independence.

Deputy Directors of the Directorate of Public Security Force, Directorate of Police and Kuwait Army (1938–1962)

NameRankTenure FromTenure UntilNote
1 Sheikh Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah Deputy Commander 1938 1942
2 Sheikh Saad Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah Deputy Commander 1959 1961 Deputy Commander of the Directorate of Police in 1959.
Deputy Commander of Directorate of Public Security Force and Directorate of Police in 1959.

Deputy Commander of the Kuwait Army (1953–1954)

NameRankTenure FromTenure UntilNote
1 1953 1954 Deputy commander of Kuwait Army (1954-1963) partnering Directorate of Public Security Force until 1953.
Founder and patron of Kuwait 25th Commando Brigade in 1960.
1st Chief of the General Staff of the Kuwait Armed Forces in 1963.
The Mubarak al-Abdullah Joint Command and Staff College is named after him.

List of ministers of interior and deputy prime ministers (1962–present)

The ministers of interior of Kuwait since 1962:[1]

NameTitleInterior Tenure FromInterior Tenure UntilNote
1 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior 17 January 1962 16 February 1978 14th Ruler and 4th Emir of Kuwait (2006), The Father Emir.
Saad Al-Abdullah Academy for Security Sciences, which is in charge of training personnel of the Kuwait Police, is named after him.[2]
2 Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-SabahDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior 16 February 1978 18 March 1978 15th Ruler and 5th Emir of Kuwait (2006–2020).
3 Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-SabahDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior 19 March 1978 12 July 1986 Crown Prince of Kuwait (2006–2020), 16th Ruler and 6th Emir of Kuwait.
4 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior26 January 1988 20 June 1990
5 Sheikh Ahmad Al Homoud Al Sabah Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior 20 April 1991 17 October 1992
6 Sheikh Ali Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior 13 April 1994 15 October 1996 Ali Al-Sabah Military College, which is in charge of training personnel of the Kuwait Armed Forces, is named after him.
7 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior 15 October 1996 13 July 2003
8 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior 13 July 2003 9 February 2006 Crown Prince of Kuwait (2006–2020).
9 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior9 February 2006 28 October 2007Prime Minister of Kuwait (2011–2019).
10 Sheikh Jaber Al Khaled Al Sabah[3] Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior 28 October 2007 6 February 2011Chief of the General Staff of Kuwait Armed Forces (1992-1993) following the Gulf War.
11 Sheikh Ahmad Al Homoud Al Sabah Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior 6 February 2011 4 August 2013
12 Mohammad Al Khalid Al Sabah[4] Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior 4 August 2013 10 December 2016
13 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior 11 December 2016 18 November 2019 (ret) Lieutenant General and Chief of the General Staff of the Kuwait Armed Forces (2012–2013)
14 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior 17 December 201914 December 2020
15Minister of Interior 14 December 202014 November 2021 [5] [6] Acting Minister until 27 December 2021
16Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior 28 December 2021 16 February 2022 [7]
17Minister of Interior (Acting)[8] 17 February 2022 8 March 2022 [9]
18First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior 9 March 2022 24 July 2022 Retired General[10]

Notes and References

  1. News: Nine ministers headed Interior Ministry since Kuwait's independence. 15 September 2013. KUNA. 7 February 2011.
  2. http://www.moi.gov.kw/academy/ Official Website Sector of Saad Al-Abdullah Academy for Security Sciences, Kuwait Ministry of Interior, (in Arabic)
  3. News: Kuwaiti interior minister resigns over custody death. 10 September 2014. BBC. 7 February 2011.
  4. News: Kuwait Names New Oil and Finance Ministers, 7 Ruling Family Members. 14 September 2013. Naharnet. 4 August 2013.
  5. News: Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled presents cabinet line-up to Kuwait Amir. 14 December 2020. Kuwait News Agency. 14 January 2021.
  6. News: Kuwait Amir issues decree forming new cabinet. 2 March 2021. Kuwait News Agency. 2 March 2021.
  7. News: Kuwait announces formation of new gov't. 28 December 2021. Kuwait News Agency. 28 December 2021.
  8. News: Amiri Decree issued accepting resignations of Defense, Interior ministers. 17 February 2022. Kuwait News Agency. 17 February 2022.
  9. News: Kuwait's emir accepts resignations of defence, interior ministers. 17 February 2022. Reuters. 17 February 2022.
  10. Web site: SNAA . News . 27 July 2022 . Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled appointed as Minister of Interior . Instagram.
  11. Web site: Kuwait-Police and the Criminal Justice System. Mongabay. 15 September 2013. January 1993.
  12. Web site: Assessment of the Electoral Framework. Democracy Reporting International. 18 September 2014. Report. November 2008. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160312042733/http://democracy-reporting.org/files/dri_kuwait_report_08.pdf. 12 March 2016. dmy-all.
  13. Web site: Service Center Locations. Ministry of Interior. 15 September 2013.
  14. Web site: Police Stations. Ministry of Interior. 15 September 2013.
  15. News: This day in Kuwait's history. 15 September 2013. KUNA. 13 May 2010.
  16. Web site: Kuwait: Interior Minister forms teams to fight vote-buying. Kuwait Times via The Voting News. 15 September 2013. 30 December 2011.
  17. History from 1928

    The early organization which dealt with internal affairs was the Directorate of Public Security Force, formed during the Interwar period in 1938 by Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and mainly taking effect following World War II. Prior to 1938, internal security was dependent on the Defense Security Forces which were headed by Sheikh Ali Salem Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. Following the Battle of Al-Regeai, command of the Defense and Security Forces was assigned to Shiekh Abdullah Jaber Al-Abdullah II Al-Sabah, who was appointed by Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and was commanding from 1928 to 1938.

    Defense and interior command prior to 1961

    Battle General Commanders of Defense and Security Forces (1928–1938)

    NameRankTenure FromTenure UntilNote
    1Sheikh Ali Salem Al-Mubarak Al-SabahGeneral Cavalry Commander19211928killed during the Battle of Al-Regeai. Ali Al Salem Air Base is named after him.
    2Sheikh Abdullah Jaber Al-Abdullah II Al-SabahGeneral Cavalry Commander19281938 pioneer in the early stages of the Military of Kuwait.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20150402131507/http://www.kng.gov.kw/picture.aspx?k=Qemq4qcCgAqgTZtW%2F%2FJM02EwHqhBbei4NwbbIwP7+Zst9QJgdjwUgjJv+00jD2q5FkYtB%2Fmx00ThXrUF7vk4KqC0krXdlRhljXaZEzzUzsP8vhEtEphU5ehjre24h9Zt8REZQBDU1EIxwfSEbVTFtXQ26ztgtgKbAaAHdQAxDo1JI%2Fc77DGFiVTgilVdwxlK5GDfebCLUQ6iqEYs7LPBbzcGgmv63WRGrGphMV1pd9I%3D Kuwait National Guard Archives, Early Defense Cavaly and Infantry led by Sheikh Abdullah Jaber Al-Abdullah II Al-Sabah; Retrieved 3 March 2015 (Arabic Read)|}|-|19| rowspan="2" |Talal Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah|First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Acting Minister of Interior|27 July 2022[10] |2 October, 2022||-|20|First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior|16 October 2022|17 January 2024||-|21|| Fahad Yusuf Al-Sabah || First Deputy Prime Minister and Acting Minister of Interior ||17 January 2024 || Present ||Retired military officer|}

    Organization and activities

    The major responsibilities of the ministry are public security, and law and order.[11] The major internal security organization under the ministry is the national police. The ministry is also responsible for managing the election process together with the ministry of justice.[12]

    The ministry has 48 service centers and 62 police stations in Capital, Farwaniya, Jahra, Hawalli, Ahmadi, and Mubarak Al Kabir regions across Kuwait.[13] [14] In 2008, a rehabilitation center was launched in the ministry in order to deal with those Kuwaiti citizens holding radical religious views.[15] The ministry established special teams consisting of members of non-governmental organizations to eliminate vote-buying before the 2012 general elections.[16]

    The ministry in 2024 has been working to combat the surge of drugs, holding those accountable for forgery in citizenship and those with dual citizenships, to implement and pass through new traffic laws, building its data base with the biometric system and many other things.

    References