CAIRO: Al-Wafd opposition party warned of “unprecedented” violence during the upcoming parliamentary elections and said they will “stand up” against and document any violent harassment of their candidates.
“There will be brutal confrontations steered by people using money to recruit thugs during the upcoming elections and its first victim was a young man in Portsaid last month,” said MP Mohamed Shordy, spokesperson of Al-Wafd, during a press conference Monday at the party’s headquarters.
“Some people are abusing people’s needs to recruit them to spark violence during the elections but we will face violence with violence even if it takes us to gun shootouts. And we will document all violations and will show them that there will be no more silence,” he added.
Last month, Al Wafd’s general assembly decided to participate in the parliamentary elections and not to join other opposition parties in their call for boycott due to the absence of guarantees for its fairness.
“When we decided to participate we knew that the elections won’t be fair, but we can’t leave Egypt under the control of the ruling party without challenge,” Shordy said.
According to Shordy, election campaigns for Al Wafd candidates will begin in two weeks.
“The National Democratic Party (NDP) decided to field candidates in all constituencies, claiming that they are the only party involved in solving people’s problems,” said Shordy, who organized the press conference titled “Statement of Achievements” to initiate his promotional campaign for the elections.
“This is deliberate sabotage of politics in Egypt; they want to persuade citizens, who are burdened with financial problems, that they are the only ones who are capable of addressing their needs as opposed to opposition parties,” he added.
He underlined the role of the media in exposing possible violations during the November elections.
Shordy also addressed the recent resignation of Sameh Makram Ebeid, assistant general secretary of the party, saying that it could have been kept it within the party but announcing its reasons in the media “left no room for discussion within the party.”
Ebeid said he resigned due to the policies of Al-Sayed Al-Badawy, recently-elected head of the party, which “don’t conform” with the principals of Al-Wafd and his “authoritarianism”, according to independent daily Al-Shorouk. Ebeid reportedly said that there is a conflict of interest between Al-Badawy’s private business and his leadership of the part.
Ebeid couldn’t be reached for comment.
“Ebeid, although a friend and a competent party member, attempted to harm the party’s image as well as its president by these claims. It isn’t appropriate to descend to this level of discussion,” Shordy said.
“Ebeid started his political career only four years ago with the help of Al-Badawy; he should have discussed the issue inside the party not in public like what I personally did during Mahmoud Abaza’s (ex-party head) term,” he added.
Shordy also criticized Ebeid’s criticism of Al-Badawy’s private business as it contradicts with the party’s campaign to attract public figures, including businessmen and artists, to join the party without being concerned about their interests or businesses.
