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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 2 - 8 November 2000 Issue No. 506 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 2 - 8 November 2000 Issue No. 506
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region Interview International Economy Opinion Culture Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Nasserist-NDP run-off
IN THE Nile Delta governorate of Kafr Al-Sheikh, security was tight near polling stations, reports Mona El-Nahhas. Voter turnout appeared remarkably high in the nine constituencies where 250 candidates competed for 18 seats. Twenty-two of the candidates represented six opposition parties.Encouraged by the results of the first round of elections, residents appeared to have had their appetite whetted. From early morning, long lines queued outside polling stations. As they stood, separate from the men, women appeared especially enthusiastic about exercising their voter rights.
Judges were apparently firmly in control of the ballot. "Everything is fine," said Ahmed Suleiman, a teacher. "Voting is taking place in a very honest manner."
"For the first time, I feel there are fair elections in Egypt", said Ali Hassan, adding he hoped the state of affairs would continue until the end.
Security forces kept their distance. Police officers were barred from entering polling stations.
Voting went smoothly except for a minor incident at Al-Qellin constituency in which supporters of independent candidate Murad El-Qattan fired pistol shots in the air. Supporters of El-Qattan's cousin and rival, Mohie El-Qattan, the candidate of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP), responded by also firing in the air. An ensuing fist fight injured Nasser Said, a teacher, and Ibrahim Abu Zahra, a farmer. Security forces restored calm.
At the constituency of Al-Hamoul, 45 kilometres from Kafr Al-Sheikh, the election battle was heated. Nine candidates contested the elections for the "workers" seat while the same number competed for the seat allocated to "professionals". The race was particularly fierce between three "professional" candidates: Nasserist Hamdein Sabahi, the NDP's Ahmed Abu Se'da, a former member of parliament for 25 years, and Ali Hassan Awad, an independent who won the last elections, in 1995. Sabahi and Abu Se'da won the highest number of votes, 19,338 and 10,271 respectively, and will face each other in Saturday's run-off.
The battle was not an easy one for Sabahi whose supporters accused the police of harassment. Several supporters were said to have been arrested before the poll. Shop owners displaying Sabahi's picture were rumoured to have been detained for two days. "Police ordered us to remove his pictures, saying he was an activist," said Mohamed Mustafa, a restaurant owner.
"Sabahi is in the heart of every citizen here," one voter said. "Anyone who needs help usually goes to him." Sabahi had promised voters that if elected he would open three bureaus in Baltim, Al-Hamoul and Cairo to receive complaints and requests from the public.
Abu Se'da is already on record as having provided several public services. "He helped the poor and assisted young people in finding jobs," said taxi-driver Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas added, "he turned Al-Hamoul from a poor village into a town."
Related stories:
See Elections 2000
