A gubernatorial reshuffle is expected over the coming two days, official presidential spokesperson Yasser Ali announced on his Facebook page Monday, with sources from the Freedom and Justice party indicating that senior Brotherhood and party leadership would constitute as many as 11 of the appointees.
"Some governors will be shuffled over the coming two days to bolster executive work in some governorates," the page said.
Morsy also held a meeting with Prime Minister Hesham Qandil on Sunday to discuss gubernatorial nominations.
The Freedom and Justice Party had said 11 governors, including those of Cairo, Alexandria, Kafr al-Sheikh and Monufiya will be changed. Meanwhile, Minister of Local Development Ahmed Zaki Abdeen told the press on Sunday that 95 percent of the current governors would be removed.
Last week, a Brotherhood and FJP source said the party put together a report on current governors’ willingness to implement Morsy’s Renaissance Project. A list has been compiled of those governors who have not been sufficiently cooperative in implementing the plan, and those governors will be replaced in the reshuffle, the sources claimed.
The most prominent nominees are said to include Guidance Bureau member Hossam Abu Bakr, who has been nominated for Cairo governor; Shura Council member Gamal Heshmat for Beheira; Guidance Bureau member Mohamed Kamal for Assiut; FJP leader Mohamed Seif for Beni Suef; FJP leader Saber Abdel Sadeq for Damietta, and FJP leader Ragab al-Banna for Kafr al-Sheikh.
The FJP is reportedly still choosing between Brotherhood Shura Council member Helmy al-Gazzar and group leader Mohamed Saad Elaiwa for Giza, and FJP leader Amir Bassam has been strongly recommended for Sharqiya.
Liberal and secular figures have expressed fears that Morsy may allow the Muslim Brotherhood to dominate all national institutions, replacing the hegemony of the now-dissolved National Democratic Party.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
