The Interior Ministry has begun monitoring the voting stations that witnessed tension during the first round of the presidential election in order to secure them in the runoff phase, said the assistant interior minister for public security, adding that the security services have information about certain forces intending to foil the runoff.
“The police and the armed forces are ready to deal with such attempts,” Ahmed Gamal Eddin said.
The security apparatus was one of the main tools that rigged elections during the reign of former President Hosni Mubarak. The first round of the election last week was relatively clean and fair, according to local and international observers. However, some political forces alleged that there was massive voting by security personnel who are not eligible to vote according to the law. The Presidential Elections Commission said on Sunday that it would investigate the cases in which security personnel allegedly voted.
“The runoff might be more violent,” he said, adding that the ministry is specifically securing Sharqiya, the hometown of competing candidates Mohamed Morsy and Ahmed Shafiq, in addition to all polling stations. “We shall be firm and will apply the law to everyone.”
The runoff is scheduled to take place on 16–17 June.
Gamal Eddin confirmed that the ministry is impartial to all candidates.
Commentators fear that if Shafiq is elected president, the Muslim Brotherhood will stage street protests denouncing his victory.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
