It was confirmed by Egypt election committee that the first day of voting recorded upwards of 90% participation considering the fact that more than 50 million people were eligible to vote.
Voting was largely peaceful on the first day, which saw Ahmed Shafiq, Egypt Ex-Air Force Chief and last Prime Minister, under Mubarak’s regime, running for the top job against Muslim Brotherhood, Mohammed Morsi.
However, all was not peaceful on that first day of voting, being Saturday day, 161h June, 2012. Some irregularities were detected by some external election observers, to the effect that military conscripts who were barred by law not to vote, were drafted to vote.
They however submitted their report to the appropriate electoral body who agreed to investigate the allegation. The second and decisive day of Egypt presidential run off ejection started with a low turn-out of voters but picked up later in the day.
Observers agreed it could not be compared to the intensity that characterized the first day. SCAF (Supreme Council of the Armed Forces) declared a public holiday the previous day to enable eligible voters exercise their civic rights. The second day of voting especially in Cairo witnessed no irregularities.
Although, there had been report by observers that they witnessed campaign for Ahmed Shafiq, the Independent Candidate and the interior Ministry staff, who cast their votes on that day. Again Egypt electoral body agreed to carryout thorough investigation on these allegations.
All of those allegations of election irregularities in the voting were mainly from the Muslim Brotherhood.
While the result is being awaited, some analysts and political activists bared their minds on what they perceive as Egypt’s political logjam.
They were of the opinion that the new President will inherit a struggling economy. Some were at sea on how a President will be instituted without a Parliament and a Constitution.
It would be recalled that Egypt’s Constitutional Court was expected to announce the ruling on “Political Isolation Law” before the election, that would have bared Ahmed Shafiq from contesting, but it rather dissolved parliament, while SCAF ruled to take over legislative powers, which pundits called unofficial coup d’etat. This scenario paved the way for Ahmed Shafiq to go into the final ballot slated for 16th and 17th June, 2012. This constitutional court ruling immediately set Egypt on edge. Scores of Egyptians protested in Alexandra, saying that they would not allow the revolution fall into wrong hands.
The Muslim Brotherhood kicked against the court’s ruling that dissolved the Parliament and saw Shafiq stay in the race. Morsi, on his part said he respected the ruling of the court but that a revolution would occur if the stated election was rigged.
Those in favour of Ahmed Shafiq accused its opponents of polarizing Egypt, they accused them of polarization at the voting booths, when they called on people to vote for the revolution. They also asserted that constant revolution would harm their business. They argued that if Morsi wins he will clash with the military council, because he opposed them.
While the Muslim Brotherhood warned that if Shafiq wins, the revolutionist will move back to the streets, to reassess the revolution.
Unfortunately, unofficial results gotten thereafter, indicated that Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood clinched 51.13% to come out tops. There has been a lot of jubilation at the streets of Cairo. Shafiq as expected refused the result and asked the people to wait for the final release later this week, by the appropriate authority.
Meanwhile the military junta has conferred on itself sweeping powers that will subordinate the President under their control.
Be that as it may, political analysts are of the view that Egypt is really enmeshed in troubled waters, with or without the run off presidential result. ###
By Azuka Dibie
