CAIRO: Bread shortage, unemployment and civil work topped the Muslim Brotherhood’s (MB) program for the upcoming municipal elections, which the group announced Saturday. At the same time the MB group sent its program to the press, it also reported that State Security Forces in Fayoum kidnapped on Friday Abdel Salam Shaieb, who is one of the Brotherhood’s candidates in the local council elections, from in front of his village shop .The group considered this to be a “continuation of the series of terrorist actions that are committed against the group by the National Democratic Party (NDP) in association with State Security Forces. Yet, in spite of the arrests, the program reiterated that it will participate in municipal elections by sending its electoral program to the press.In a press release that was sent to Daily News Egypt, the group said its elections’ program will also include solutions to some of Egypt’s pressing problems, namely bread shortages, price hikes, unemployment, agricultural problems, and the proper implementation of the concept of crisis management in Egypt.The program aims to encourage public engagement in local development projects, create a system for the different organizations that fall under the jurisdiction of municipal councils – with priority given to environmental projects and activating the role of educational, religious and youth organizations. The program also includes providing feasibility studies for development and investment in small-scale projects, supporting the role of women in the labor force and further engaging them in different community projects. The program also pays attention to NGOs and agricultural development. The Brotherhood also promised to provide specific plans for developing sectors such as health, education, electricity and transportation. The group added that it is currently developing a new vision on how to improve religious discourse. Last Thursday, State Security forces arrested 19 members of the MB including prominent member Mohamed Ghazlan.This came three days after the authorities began accepting candidate applications to local council elections. It comes on the heels of an intensive crackdown on the group, bringing the total number of detainees to over 700 arrested in the past few weeks.Despite the ongoing crackdown, Brotherhood lawyer Abdel Moniem Abdel Maqsoud told Daily News Egypt that members will not forfeit their right to run in the coming elections.On March 4, four detainees announced their intention to compete in the municipal race from behind bars.
Muslim Brotherhood announced their program for the local council elections
