Decree-Law No. 92 of 2026, published Sunday in the official gazette Kuwait Al Youm, amends multiple provisions of Law No. 32 of 1967 on the army to address evolving operational requirements after nearly six decades. The decree raises the maximum period for a disciplinary punishment that restricts a service member’s liberty from 60 days to 90 days under revised Article 23. According to the explanatory memorandum accompanying the decree, these updates seek to grant military administration greater flexibility in managing personnel matters while maintaining discipline across the armed forces.
The amendments grant the Minister of Defence authority to determine age requirements for accepting officers and any exceptions through a separate decision rather than embedding fixed limits in the primary legislation. Revised Article 32 also assigns the minister responsibility for establishing medical fitness conditions required for military service. A government assessment found that this shift allows recruitment policies to adapt more readily to the armed forces’ changing needs and developments in attraction strategies.
Under a new paragraph added to Article 5, the decree permits the army to recruit professionals and other categories through special contracts in line with regulations and decisions issued by the Minister of Defence. The provision aims to broaden the pool of specialized skills available to the military without altering core service frameworks. Kuwait Al Youm figures indicate the change takes immediate effect upon publication, aligning with broader personnel modernization efforts that have included updates to national service rules earlier in 2026.
Article 82 now includes a new clause introducing special leave that may be granted with full pay, reduced pay or without pay, subject to implementing regulations. The explanatory memorandum stated that the addition provides a legal framework for handling individual circumstances while balancing operational demands. This leave category supplements existing annual, sick, administrative, Hajj and emergency provisions already outlined in the original 1967 statute.
The 1967 law had remained largely unchanged despite significant organizational, administrative and operational developments within Kuwait’s military over the intervening period. An official review tied to the decree noted that certain executive matters evolve rapidly, necessitating periodic adjustments to sustain readiness. International Institute for Strategic Studies data places Kuwait’s active armed forces strength at approximately 25,000 personnel in recent assessments, highlighting the importance of adaptable policies.
Publication in Kuwait Al Youm on September 20, 2026, marks the decree’s entry into force, with the full text detailing replacements to paragraphs in Articles 23, 32 and 40 alongside the new additions. The changes follow a February 2026 decree that revised aspects of the separate national service law to close implementation gaps and strengthen penalties. The decree cancels any conflicting prior provisions and assigns implementation responsibility to the prime minister and ministers within their portfolios.
