‘Egypt will not accept corrupt leader’

CAIRO. — Egyptians will not accept a corrupt leader who fails to fulfil their aspirations, presidential hopeful and former army chief Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said in statements to Egyptian daily Al-Watan on Thursday.
Al-Watan quoted El-Sisi as stating that he refuses to lay down a “fantasty” electoral programme, stressing his platform will be realistic and applicable in the short run and adding that it will have a positive effect on the lives of Egyptians within many aspects.

El-Sisi said the responsibility of ruling is “no picnic” and pledged to be in the people’s service, according to Al-Watan.
The former defence minister resigned from the military on Wednesday and announced his presidential bid in army garb in a live address on Egyptian state TV the same day.

A video report aired on Thursday, also on state TV, showed El-Sisi meeting with his presidential campaign team in a black suit.
His campaign is reportedly headed by ex-ambassador Mahmoud Karem, a current member of Egypt’s National Council for Human Rights who also held membership during the presidency of Hosni Mubarak and for a brief stint under former president Mohamed Morsi. Karem’s career in politics is also highlighted by formerly serving as Egypt’s permanent representative to NATO as well as ambassador to Japan and Belgium.

Egypt’s interim president, Adly Mansour, stated that Egypt will have a new president before 17 July. Candidates will be able to nominate themselves officially from 30 March.

El-Sisi’s only challenger so far is former leftist presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi who came in third in Egypt’s 2012 presidential elections.
Meanwhile, police yesterday clashed with Islamists protesting against a decision by the ex-army chief to stand for president, state media said.

Supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi took to the streets in Cairo, Alexandria and other Egyptian cities to vent their anger at Sisi who overthrew the Islamist leader nine months ago.

Demonstrators in the southern Cairo working class district of Helwan and in Fayum, southwest of the capital, fired birdshot and police responded with tear gas, state news agency MENA said.

The protesters also cut off roads in Helwan, in the western Cairo neighbourhood of Giza and in Madinat Nasr further east, the agency said.
Police likewise fired tear gas at demonstrators in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, Egypt’s second city, MENA said.

In Fayum, clashes erupted between Morsi supporters and opponents of the Islamist leader, with security forces intervening to stop the fighting, MENA said, without giving details.

It said dozens of Morsi supporters linked arms and formed a human chain spanning several kilometres (miles) in the northern province of Beheira.

Opponents of Sisi also torched a huge portrait of the former army chief in the Suez canal city of Port Said, MENA said.
Supporter of the widely-popular presidential hopeful, who toppled Morsi after massive streets protests against his turbulent one-year rule, were also out on the street to celebrate his candidacy. — Ahramonline/AFP.