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ADULLAH AL-ROUMI was born in 1949 and holds a degree in law. He was a member of the National Assembly from 1985 to 2009. Previously, he worked in the parliament as legal researcher and he was a member of Kuwait Bar Association and also a member of Parliamentarians Against Corruption.
In the 2016 Parliamentary elections, Al-Roumi came in fifth place with 2,731 votes ahead of his rival Saleh Ashour who got 2,541 votes.
After winning a seat in the 2016 Parliament, Al-Roumi contested for the post of Deputy Speaker of National Assembly since he had been a part of various committees.
He thanked his well wishers and expressed appreciation to the people of the First Constituency for renewing their confidence in him saying “this trust I consider a medal on my chest.”
Al-Roumi stressed he will meet be the expectations of Kuwaitis in general and the people of his constituency in particular. He said he will work for the unity of the nation and cooperate with the Parliament in line with the tenets of the Constitution to ensure constructive achievement at all levels.
He added: “Our country has suffered a lot and fallen back in some areas and therefore we must all work to raise the name of Kuwait and complete the draft laws in the Parliament and work for the comfort of citizens and find their rights without the need for intermediaries,” and stress on the need to work for the rule of law and prosperity of the country.
In the 2009 parliamentary elections he came in seventh place with 7,746 votes behind Maasouma Al-Mubarak, Hussein Al-Qallaf, Hussain Al-Huraiti, Yousef Al-Zalzalah, Faisal Al-Duwaisan and Saleh Ashour.
Al Roumi is the favorite among Salafist MPs who backed him for the post of Speakership in 2008. MP Ahmed Al-Saadoun withdrew his candidacy for the same post in support of Al-Roumi, who is known for his nationalist policies.
Al-Roumi speaking about his bid for the Speaker’s post said it is a highly responsible position, “and every parliamentarian has the right to contest for it. My former fellow parliamentarians including Ahmed Al-Saadoun and Jassem Al-Kharafi have left their marks as Speakers of the National Assembly.
“My intention is not to defeat anybody but to serve the country, its people and democracy. I will work to establish strong ties between the government and the Parliament, and will serve the country regardless of who becomes the Speaker,” Al Roumi added.
During the 2006 election campaign, Al-Roumi put up a wall and voters were asked to express their demands and concerns. MP Al-Roumi said the wall, which he named ‘State Your Position Wall’, would be his agenda during the parliamentary sessions. “It is an efficient way to get in touch with my people who have expressed their keenness to implement reforms,” he said.
Stressing on the urgency of finding a solution to unemployment, MP Al-Roumi said that at least 16,000 Kuwaitis are looking for jobs. “Most of the unemployed citizens hold of primary or higher secondary school certificates. It is difficult for them to find jobs as they fail to compete with university graduates,” said Al-Roumi.
Al-Roumi criticized the decline in medical services in Kuwait, demanding that the Cabinet take more sincere measures on this issue. “The last public hospital established in Kuwait was in 1981. Hospitals are overcrowded and the standard of hospitals has dropped despite the large financial surplus that the country currently has,” Al-Roumi noted.
Commenting on the Cabinet’s performance on reforms, he asserted the National Assembly would not hesitate to probe the performance of all ministers if needed.
Among Al-Roumi’s priorities is giving Kuwaiti women their rights, especially widows and divorced women, as well as those married to non-Kuwaitis.
He said he remains dedicated in the face of other issues, Al-Roumi said “it is injustice to deprive children of a Kuwaiti women the Kuwaiti citizenship. It is also inexplicable, in a wealthy country like Kuwait why divorced and widowed Kuwaiti women are not given accommodation.
Calling for developing the educational system in Kuwait, Al-Roumi said “such amendments are a fruitful investment producing qualified generations capable of handling tough responsibilities, advancing their country, and taking up leading posts in Kuwait.”
He called upon the government establish another public university, to encourage students to attain their higher education certificates from Kuwait rather than abroad.
‘The curricula should keep track of the rapid scientific and technological developments which the world is witnessing,” Al-Roumi said.
In the 2006 elections, he won first position in his constituency with 2,509 votes, followed by MP Abdulwahid Al-Awadhi, and served as chairman of the National Assembly’s Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee. He was offered a post in the Cabinet in 1992, but he rejected the offer.