KUWAIT CITY, Feb 12: A Kuwaiti woman said on Sunday she will run in a municipal council by-election, becoming the first woman to contest polls in this Gulf state since women were granted full political rights last year.

Jenan Bushehri, a senior civil servant at Kuwait Municipality, said she feels she is very capable of serving her country if she was elected to the civic body.

“I have been an employee in the municipality for nine years. I feel I can serve my country given my job experience and high academic qualification,” said Ms Bushehri who holds a Masters degree in chemical engineering and is currently working on her doctorate.

Ms Bushehri, 33, is married with two daughters. She heads the food examination department at the municipality.

The seat fell vacant after municipal council chairman Abdullah al-Muhailbi was appointed minister for municipality and environement in the new Kuwaiti cabinet that was sworn in by the emir on Saturday.

Under Kuwaiti law, Muhailbi must resign his municipal council seat and by-election should be held within two months. The polls are expected to be held late March or early April.

Kuwaiti women were granted full political rights in a historic vote in parliament in May last year.—AFP