Saturday, June 09, 2012

Egypt's Presidential Elections 2012

The 2012 Presidential Elections are the first ever in Egypt with no predicted results. Actually, it might be strange to say but the outcome of the 1st round was unexpected somehow and disappointing for many.

We are one week from the rerun between the 2 candidates, Ahmed Shafik, ex minister and lately prime minister in Moubarak's regime and Mohmed Morsy who is running for Muslim Brotherhood.

Unlike what's on-going on all social medias, from facebook to twitter, i'm not going to take a side of one candidate on the expense of other.
I voted for another candidate, Hamdeen Sabahy, who suprisingly for the majority got too many votes to be in 3rd position although i knew in my heart that he would do that if people really believed in him. I believe that many did, especially after the famous debate between 2 other candidates, Amr Moussa (ex-foreign minister and president of Arab league) and Abdel Moneim Abou El-Fotouh (ex-muslim brotherhood and more into revolution). It seems that the debate instead of favouring one of them, actually defavourised both of them.

I hoped that people participation would be higher than this, but only 46% people elligible to vote did. The elections went smoothly, actually i felt it was more organized than the elections for parliament. But anyway, this is not the last elections to be held and hopefully in 2016 more people will particiapte.
Getting back to next week's rerun, it has become a war between people. Like the days of referendum, the yes and no camps.. but this time, it's about who will lead our country in the next 4 years.
Both options for me are not good but I believe in one thing. We regained our voice, we conquered our fears so no matter who will be elected, we will push him to act for the sake of Egypt and Egyptians... I may sound too optimistic for people opposing one candidate claiming he will not let this happen...
For me i see we selected the hard way anyway, things could have been gone differently but this is where we are now and we have to deal with it.
Enough fighting together, who is choosing who, cos the choice is mainly based on who you don't want as president and not on who you want as president.. it's not an active vote but a reactive one.
Whoever will win will anyway make a deal with the SCAF (supreme council of army forces) so at the end it's a big play organized in a legitimate way. The purpose of the revolution is long forgotten. The slogan of "bread, freedom, social justice" is left behind and this is the ugly truth of politics.
Politicians don't care about people, they only care about interests.. and this is where, we the people must play our role, force politicians to listen to us and care for us.
Even though all what's happening, i'm still optimistic about our future. So, whether you will vote for Shafik, Morsy or even not vote, it's just an election for a 4 year president. The important is not to let go the fight for a better Egypt and act as a good citizen in helping establishing the main goals of the revolution.

Good Luck for us and God Bless Egypt!


Finally, as in this cartoon, just do the right thing :)