(AFP File Photo)
In an early morning statement, the General Coordinator of the Kefaya movement Mohamed Al-Ashqar announced that the Tamarod campaign is not an official project of the Kefaya movement.
Tamarod, or ‘Rebellion’, is a petition campaign that was launched on Sunday to gather signatures registering a withdrawal of confidence from President Mohamed Morsi. The campaign is also calling for early presidential elections.
In a statement on the group’s Facebook page, Al-Ashqar denied that Tamarod operates under Kefaya’s directions.
Kefaya Movement spokesperson Abdel Rahman Al-Gohary said that members of Kefaya who are participating in Tamarod do not represent the movement.
“We support any initiative that works to bring down the regime,” he said, adding that Tamarod is an independent campaign.
Kerollos Ibrahim, from the Tamarod campaign in Port Said, confirmed that some of the officials in the campaign are Kefaya coordinators, but added that Tamarod is a popular campaign and that it is not exclusive to Kefaya members. Anyone can join, he said.
Al-Ashqar added that Kefaya supports all initiatives and peaceful revolutionary activities that aim to create change in society.
Yehia Al-Qazzaz, a Kefaya movement leader, said in a statement published on the movement’s Facebook page that the youth who established the Tamarod campaign are from Kefaya and were inspired by the spirit of Kefaya to create the Tamarod campaign.
He described the youths’ actions as a continuation of Kefaya’s ethos.
