By the end of May 24, 2012, Egypt would have chosen, for the first time in its 10,000 years of recorded history, its future President. That historic person could be one of thirteen personalities, each with an electoral symbol. These symbols help guide the nearly 53 million electorate in making that unprecedented choice. There are no elephants among the symbols (elephants inhabit the great Cairo Zoo), nor are there donkeys (in the Arab culture calling someone "a donkey" means "very stupid.")
The symbols for the front runners are "the horse," for Abdel-Moneim Aboul Fotouh (former member of the Muslim Brotherhood); "the sun," for Amr Moussa (former foreign minister under Mubarak); "the scales," meaning justice, for Muhammed Morsi (candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood); and "the falcon," for Hamdain Sabbahi (secular Nasserite). There is little doubt that as of July 1, 2012, the coup perpetrated by Nasser on July 23, 1952, would officially come to an end.
Like in every electoral campaign, electioneering is waged by rallies, debates, demonstrations, TV interviews, songs, jokes, and the flow of money.
The Cairo buzz has been focused on the televised debate between Aboul Fotouh (60 years old) and Moussa (75 years old); the former was jailed for a total of 6 years during the Mubarak regime, the latter served Mubarak and his regime in various capacities for many years.
Being the first such debates in the history of the Arab world, the whole region watched that lively spectacle. Aboul Fotouh was attacked by Moussa for having been an Ikhwani (a member of the Muslim Brotherhood); Moussa was hit back for having voted for Mubarak's continuation in office in the fraudulent elections of 2010. Aboul Fotouh retorted by saying "But I was expelled by the Brotherhood for my moderate stances," and Moussa tried to downplay the stigma of voting in support of a dictator by saying: "At that time, the choice was between Mubarak or a worse alternative -Mubarak's son Gamal."
In his 80 page political manifesto, Moussa presents his priorities as would-be President: end of the emergency laws which have lasted since 1954; elimination of illiteracy; acceleration of development; and the attraction of foreign investments.
Aboul Fotouh's focus is on "the average Egyptian citizen, whether Muslim or Christian (Copt); Islamic jurisprudence; rebuilding of a strong Egypt with strong armed forces; and increased funding for public education and public health." The pillars of his platform (he is a Physician) are the safeguarding of the Revolution of January 25, 2011, and the observance of "whatever is good for society as a whole," including the right of a Copt or a woman to run in the future for the post of president of Egypt.
Throughout this presidential campaign which is fast heating, the political jokes are mobilized. Dr. Muhammad Morsi, the candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood is called "the spare tyre." The reason is that when the Brotherhood feared that its chosen candidate, Khairat El-Shater, might be disqualified (for serving a jail sentence of a long duration during the Mubarak regime, they nominated Morsi as an alternative.
Another candidate, General Ahmed Shafeeq, was called "the candy candidate." He had promised to distribute lots of candy to the Tahrir Square demonstrators. And Moussa who declared his candidacy in the midst of a dilapidated section of Cairo to show his determination to abolish poverty, was called "the cigar candidate." Unfortunately for him, he was photographed in the midst of poverty smoking an expensive cigar.
From "the spare tyre," to "the candy candidate," to "the cigar candidate," to ten other candidates, the Cairo Buzz regarding the future Prez makes for a great reality show whose outcome shall define the outcome of the Arab Spring in this pivotal Arab country - Egypt.
No comments:
Post a Comment