By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
CAIRO, Egypt – Former Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik has pulled out of the nation’s upcoming presidential elections calling the election a “farce” that has been fixed to allow Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a formal military chief, to take control of the country.
Under the administration of Hosni Mubarak, Shafik served as a military leader and was appointed to serve as Prime Minister of the country shortly before the youth-led revolt sparked by the Arab Spring led to the resignation of President Mubarak. Shafik came in second behind President Morsi during the 2012 Presidential elections.
In a leaked recording of a private conversation released by Al Jazeera on Thruway Shafik, who had stated earlier he would endorse al-Sisi if he ran for the presidency, said “I know very well they will fix all the ballot boxes. I have taken myself out of this loop because the election is going to be a farce.” Shafik confirmed the authenticity of the recording.
He went on to say, “of course whether other candidates withdraw will depend on the nomination of Sisi. I said if he’s going to run in the presidential election I will not run but I will get my papers ready (and) if he is going to run I will not submit them.”
Sami Anan, another leading politician and former Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Military, announced his withdrawal from the presidential camping on Thursday saying his decision was “rooted in the nation’s highest interests” and “out of the realisation of the dangers facing it.” His decision will mean that al-Sisi will run with only one significant rival candidate, the leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi, from the Nile Delta town of Kafr el-Sheikh. Sabahi who came in third in the 2012 presidential elections
Hamdeen Sabahi, a formal journalist, says he doubts Egypt would be governed according to democratic principles is al-Sisi is elected. Sabahi supported the coup led by al-Sisi that resulted in the removal of Egypt’s first democratically elected leader, Mohamed Morsi, last year. However, he now feels that the culture of political repression that characterized the Mubarak regime still remains rampant in the country. “The current transitional system did not respect the values of democracy and plurality, and violated the constitution … in the way it dealt with its opponents,” he said. “It did not implement the freedoms the Egyptian people want and deserve.”
Despite his concerns, Sabahi is convinced that the Egyptian people will no longer tolerate dictatorship. “Any attempt to reproduce the old regime will not work. The people are very smart,” Sabahi said. “The future of Egypt is in the revolution. There will be no future for anyone who tries to bring back a former regime.”
For more information please see:
Al Jazeera – Egypt ex-PM: presidential poll will be fixed – 14 March 2014
Malta Today – Egypt ex-PM claims presidential poll will be fixed – 14 March 2014
The New York Times – Former Egyptian General Calls Promise of Free Elections a ‘Farce’ – 13 March 2014
Reuters – Egyptian candidate questions Sisi’s commitment to democracy – 13 March 2014
