CAIRO: In a protest dubbed “Revolutionary Legitimacy” on Sunday, a number of revolutionary youth coalitions reiterated that revolutionary principles should rule Egypt, not the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) which must only be tasked with managing the transition.
“This million-man protest aims to show that we [revolutionaries] will continue our sit-in until a national salvation government is formed by the revolutionaries,” April 6 spokesman Mahmoud Afifi told Daily News Egypt.
Afifi said that this salvation government should have full powers transferred from SCAF through a “constitutional declaration”.
“SCAF should oversee the national security-related issues and foreign relations but not internal affairs,” he added.
Earlier throughout the day, marches from various places around Cairo converged into Tahrir.
A few dozen protesters chanted “everything is just the same and the thieves are the same so our demands are the same".
For the past two days, hundreds of protesters have been camping out in front of Cabinet headquarters, to voice their rejection of the appointment of Prime Minister Kamal El-Ganzouri and to call for the formation of a national salvation government.
“We don’t object to Mr Ganzoury on the personal level, we respect him and we understand he is a patriot, but with all due respect he was also part of the Mubarak era and had his chance a long time ago, therefore we call on him to resign,” said Afifi.
Egypt needs a revolutionary prime minister with full powers who will uphold the revolutionary legitimacy, stress protesters.
“Raise your voice high, Ganzoury is felool [remnant of the old regime]” they chanted.
Amina Mohamed who was at the Cabinet sit-in said that the elections are organized by former PM Essam Sharaf whose government ruined the country and so they cannot be trusted to oversee well-organized elections.
“Even if judges are going to monitor the elections, these were the same ones monitoring them before. How come all of a sudden they have a clear conscience?” said Amina.
Other protesters said that their sit-in is not to demand SCAF hand over power or to postpone elections, but to demand the prosecution of those responsible for killing people starting during clashes which started on Nov. 19.
“Did you see how they were dragging that girl by her hair, that’s why I am here,” said Islam Khaled.
A White Knight Ultras football fan Mohamed Magdy said that one of the reasons he is participating in the sit-in is to protest against the participation of former NDP members in the elections.
“If you go to Maadi you will find Hussein Meghawer’s banners. If they managed to fool the government, don’t you think they can forge elections?” said Mohamed.
Other Tahrir protesters have demanded the postponement of parliamentary elections which kick-off Monday in nine governorates, including Cairo and Alexandria.
Medhat Eissa, official spokesman of the Suez Revolution Youth Coalition, also said that political powers in Suez are calling on officials to postpone the elections since the status quo cannot guarantee a fair and secure process.
“I was also part of a parliament lists but here in Suez we decided to stop any campaigning after what happened in Tahrir Square, we just have to wait,” said Eissa.
Eissa added that demonstrations will take place in El-Arabein Square in Suez, assuring that protesters do not have any personal reservations against the current prime minister but doubt that he has been given full authority.
“Revolutionaries in Suez, supported by people, already announced that SCAF is an illegitimate body ruling Egypt, they have to understand that and cede power to the revolutionaries,” said Eissa.
