Monday, August 28, 2006

Egypt's Ruling National Democratic Party Declares Gamal Mubarak as a Successor

Despite frequent denials by Gamal Mubarak that he will run for presidency or that he has the intention to succeed his dad in office, a prominent figure from the ruling National Democratic Party said an in interview to AlWafd newspaper (Arabic) that the party is preparing Gamal Mubarak as a successor and alternative for presidential plans. These statements are the first of their kind. Though almsot every Egyptian talks about the ruling party plan, officials from the party never went blunt in public to announce the party's agenda in bringing the son of the president to power.

Gamal Mubarak has been promoted so quickly inside the party to be the second person in command over the past few years.

These statements are coming ahead of the annual meeting of the NDP on September 15, where the president delivers his speech, defining the main priorities of his party. This is year he will give the closing speech. The annual meeting is usually attended by local and international figures.

The NDP has members from the so-called old guard who do not belong to the circle of the new guard led by Gamal Mubarak. The division as always have been denied but when you take a deeper look at the NPD secretary general Safwat Al Sherif's statements and the new guard statements you can immediately recognize and feel the split of agendas.

Hossam Badrawi, who is one of the closet allies of Gamal Mubarak in the party, threw the succession plans in yesterday’s interview with Alwafd, confirming that Egypt should be a civil country not a religious or military. As we all know most of the old guard of the party belongs to the military. These statements come against all the founders of the party which they will probably have to be made redundant if Junior Mubarak comes to power. Of course, we all know what he meant by not religious country. Badrawi was attacking the Muslim Brotherhood, though acknowledging the right for everyone to run .

He said: "Gamal Mubarak is one of the alternatives for presidency." I believe he is the only alternative for the ruling party and if not why Badrawi himself run for presidency, being a vetern well-educated public figure?

The ruling has alienated itself from the grassroots, and that is so obvious. The opposition movement Kefaya, the Muslim Brotherhood and opposition leftist parties in Egypt succeeded always in rallying support around them in demonstrations. On the other hand the NDP fails to rally even a 10 people demonstration unless they are paid or civil servants who are forced to do so.

The NDP’s new plan will slip the country into a political civil war and again without the participation of the people. Divisions will emerge between the old and new guards on who to rein after President Mubarak. With some flying rumors in the past that Gamal Mubarak is a gay, in which I have nothing against gays, but if true I wonder if the army will take that easily. Is it possible that the head of the armed forces of the country be a gay person? Is Gamal Mubarak strong enough to impose himself on the old military revolution party and the army without even grassroots support?

Bringing Gamal Mubarak to power will increase the disappointment of the Egyptians. It is yet another declaration that they will have to continue to be ruled rather rule their counrty. I believe disappointment was one reason why many Egyptians joined the camp of the Muslim brotherhood.

This succession plan puts an end to the shiny statements of the United States about bringing democracy and peace to the Middle East region and to one of the its allies, Egypt. It dashes the hopes of millions of Egyptians who believed once in the Middle East Spring. Gamal Mubarak is an Egyptian citizen and he has the right to be a presidential candidate but he should be like all Egyptians who also wish to run for presidency. There should be equal opportunity if democracy plans are serious.

6 Comments:

At 4:35 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Doesnt it suck to be neo-conned? You idiots actually believed that the US wanted democracy in the region? No wonder you've had Mubarak for nearly 30 years, you deserve each other.

 
At 6:23 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

anon 5:35

This is such an ignorant statement because spreading democracy is not a U.S or neo-cons goal. It is the call of all nations. And by the way it is not only the U.S that is pressuring Egypt for democracy, it is the EU as well. All powers try to exercise pressure.

It is not about neo-cons and or anything else. This is such an ignorance to turn the democracy cause into a neo-con call!! Good luck with your short-sightetness

 
At 1:44 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

There are many examples in history of monarchs who were not officially called "King XXX". I think any constitution should ban any President (or other chief executive) from staying in power for more than ten years, and it should ban close relatives from succeeding him. There should be a gap of at least ten years before a relative can take up the same office. This is all to prevent the emergence of a monarchy. Bush II is another example of a dynastic succession. No way is he President of the US on merit.

 
At 4:51 PM, Blogger MechanicalCrowds said...

Gamal is the lesser of two evils when you think about the MB option!

 
At 9:06 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Every candidates deserve to be given a chance to run for Presidential post. It doest not matter they are from Muslim Brotherhood or any credential candidates as long as they are qualified and have a strong and good background. How sure we are if the candidate that we choose are good or not? Look at Mubarak, he is not from the Muslim group but look at what he has done to Egypt for the last 25 years!! Nothing except miseries and disasters and he is getting bigger and fat from corruptions money and robbing the country. This is where the Egyptian people have to see and choose carefully as not to make mistakes. Doest not mean if the choosen candidate are from the Muslim or Islamic party they will turn the country into Syariah or Islamic nation. Mind you that most of the people from this group are mostly professional people and educated. A good leader will not destroy the country and do changes that will bring better prospect and future for all the people. If we didnt give any of these candidates a chance to prove themselves, then how could we know that they can lead or not. Everyone has to be given the chance to prove themselves and in order to do this we have to take a risk as the President now is not great either. He has been conquering the throne for 25 years and now he wants to pass it thru his decendent who is his son as though the Presidential seat are a family line. Mubarak forgets that Presidential seat thru election and not thru inherited and he suppose to serve the people and not his greed needs. Compared when the time Egypt was ruled by a King and now. What did Egypt achieve in this 25 years? Ask the Egyptian people and you will find out nothing!!! There are no development in infrastructure, economy is worse than it was before, unemployment rate is very high, corruption is high, things are very expensive, people who work double or triple jobs still didnt make it and most young egyptian sacrifice themselves to travel abroad by crossing in illegal boats, food and daily items are very expensive and even the Egyptian pound are too low and has no valued and prostitutions are almost legas and crimes is to high and people robbing each other now. In Mubarak leadership and goverment, the police beat their own people and torture and disrespect their own brothers and sisters unlike the Israel they treat their own citizens with good respect and freedom to choose their leader. Egypt have eliteracy 60% and should be ashame as a nation. Mubarak and it croonies use this eliteracy egyptian people to vote for him and offer them money and con them in voting for him because they cannot read or write. Now the Egyptian people have to wake up and do something if they want a better life. Egyptian should learn from the past thru revolution. Wake up all and stand up together, united and make Egypt a better place to live for yourself, your children and the next generation and down with Mubarak and his croonies!!!!!

 
At 6:33 AM, Blogger S. said...

yes i heard the rumor that jimmy is gay, and if he was he would be a disgrace to my kind.... (i am gay)
i use to be a huge supporter of jimmy, he is decent, he is nice, u see him in pacha sharm enjoy a bottle of gold label, but then he messed it all up by going to marry the most beautiful girl, khadiga, she is half of his age, he ruined her love life,,, yes she might have a good career, but god damn if he is gay as the rumors are, and as my other gay friends use to tell me that they hanged with him (dont know if thats true) the woman wont have a good orgasms for years to come maybe the rest of her life god forbid...

i was with khadiga at university i was gay but i always noticed her... i use to call her barbie.. eventhough she never noticed me.. she was on the volleyball team .. my freind tried dating her once.. but appearantly she was inlove with another man i am sure it was not Jimmy,


but yea Jimmy is the lesser of two evils, i would never vote for ayman nour nor would i vote for muslim brother hood.. but the question is do we have other options... our state has worked in a way that no one is qualified enough to be president ... i have heard alot say amr moussa... well that would be nice... but if i am going to vote i am going to prefer to vote for someone who is a bit more secular, a person who is young...

anyway thats my view...

 

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