CAIRO: Fifty-seven-year old brigadier-general Ahmed Ghanem resigned from his position at the ministry of interior to join opposition party Al-Ghad, pledging to run for parliamentary elections scheduled for next year.
“I applied for early retirement to join Al-Ghad and to have enough time to pursue a political career, Ghanem told Daily News Egypt, who until recently had served in the Suez police directorate.
Ghanem’s decision to join an opposition party was triggered by his realization that Egypt is in a state of continuous deterioration and that change has become necessary.
“I plan to run for the parliamentary elections in 2010 representing Al-Ghad, because I strongly believe in the principles of the party and I’m convinced that Egypt needs change, he said, denouncing the “succession scenario .
I have nothing personal against Gamal Mubarak but I refuse the idea of succession, he said.
Ghanem entered a legal battle more than a decade ago when he resigned from his post to join the 1995 legislative elections race as an independent candidate and eventually lost to a National Democratic Party member in a revote.
When he lost, the ministry refused to reappoint him.
Later, however, an order issued by the Administrative Court of the City Council granted him the right to return to service in the ministry.
As a result, Ghanem claims he was hassled by his superiors until he was relocated to Beni Suef.
But that too didn t stop him from pursuing his interest in politics. In 2000, now a major, Ghanem resigned to run for parliamentary elections for a second time. When he lost, he returned to his job without have to go through a court case.
Interior ministry officials have pressured me not to join Al-Ghad and told me directly to join any other party but to stay away from Ayman Nour, said Ghanem.
I insisted on my position. I have been granted membership in the party an in a few days I will join the higher council.
Commenting on widespread reports about police violence, Ghanem said, These violations exist, but they are acts by individuals. As is the case in any other job or institution, there always the good and the bad.
I have never taken part in violence against fellow citizens and I have always had reservations about colleagues committing such acts, he added.
Ghanem has called for the abolition of the emergency law and that the elections be monitored by the judiciary.
Emergency law is the reason behind all the catastrophes in Egypt, he said.
