MB Chief Vows to Rally Egyptians Against Vote-Rigging in Elections

MB Chief Vows to Rally Egyptians Against Vote-Rigging in Elections

The top rival of the Egyptian regime in upcoming elections has vowed to prevent fraud in next month’s vote by rallying Egyptians sure that the people of Egypt are appalled at having their vote snatched away.

The Muslim Brotherhood has accused the ruling party, not only of vote rigging, but also of arresting and detaining – without charge – a large number of members of the MB despite calls from international human rights groups to release them.

The MB enjoys a great deal of support in Egypt and their success in the 2005 elections is sufficient proof, which threatens the ruling regime driving it to make the mass arrests that have taken place recently amidst international calls for free and fair elections.

Fraud, in favour of the ruling party, marked the scene of the 2005 elections, yet despite police and government-supported vigilantes preventing voters from casting their vote, the MB won 20 % of seats in parliament. Recent crackdowns by the ruling regime indicate that they do not want their top opposition to succeed again this year.

Chairman of the MB, Dr. Mohammed Badie, recently confirmed that the regime’s efforts to suppress it, has already begun. With around 200 of the group’s activists arrested in recent weeks, and candidates’ posters and billboards being torn down, the movement is bracing itself for continued monopolization of power from the current government.

Referring to the NDP, Badie said, “They want exclusive dominance over elections and power forever.” The regime decided – following the MB’s success in 2005 – to end supervision of polling stations by judges, who previously reported fraud. “This indicates their intention to rig the vote and cover it up,” Badie added.

Badie assures that the Egyptian people will no longer tolerate vote rigging, adding that the MB will rally as many voters as possible with the intention of preventing election employees from filling out ballots. With the Egyptian people at the end of their tether, Badie, speaking in the Cairo offices of the MB’s parliament members, noted, “The real difference now is that the Egyptian people reject the theft of their vote.” Badie is confident that ‘ballot thieves’ will not succeed in stealing any vote once the people are determined to protect their voice.

Despite being officially banned in Egypt, The Brotherhood is far more organized and popular than any of the weak opposition groups in the country that are officially recognized. After the success of the MB in the 2005 elections, the ruling regime recently began a security crackdown and thousands have been arrested and detained while top leaders have been tried before military courts.

Five years later, this scenario is set to repeat itself, and the elections come amid uncertain political times in Egypt, as presidential elections are due next year. The aging Mubarak with failing health has retained power for nearly 30 years. While NDP officials say he will run for another six-year term, it is believed that he is, in fact, grooming his son, Gamal, to take over leadership.

Badie asserts that The Brotherhood is not interested in fielding a candidate for the presidency but, instead, is focusing on advocating reform. Opposing inheritance of power the MB believes there should be a democratic means to choose the president. Since the run up to the 2005 elections the MB has been a motivating force urging democratic change in Egypt.

He said the country needs a transitional period where various political forces unite to rescue the nation from the grip of autocratic rule. Especially since 2004, The Brotherhood has sought to depict itself as a force pushing for democratic change in Egypt’s authoritarian system. Spending 15 years in prison, Badie himself has tasted the down side of Egypt’s authoritarian system. “We seek participation, not domination,” he stated.