"The people need a ruler with a military background," said former deputy chief of General Intelligence Services Hossam Khairallah on a talk show Wednesday night, following his Monday announcement that he will run for president.
Khairallah's announcement has raised some fears that he will be supported by the military in the presidential elections slated to take place sometime before June.
Since the fall of the monarchy in 1952, Egyptian presidents have all been prominent military figures: Mohamed Naguib, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Anwar Sadat and finally Hosni Mubarak, who resigned on 11 February following popular protests against his three-decade rule.
This history has sown doubt over the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces' (SCAF) sincerity in claiming they will hand over power to civilians once a president is elected. The SCAF's general resistance to delegating power to civilians over the transitional period has only added to this doubt.
"I am a man with a military background, but I am not a military officer [today]. I have worn plain clothes since 1977," Khairallah said in his announcement at a Monday press conference.
Khairallah joined the Information and Public Estimates Bureau, a body affiliated with the General Intelligence Services, in 1977, where he occupied several positions until serving as president from 2000 to 2005. Since 2005, Khairallah has served as chairman of an investment company, according to his campaign's Facebook page.
Khairallah stressed on the talk show "Akher al-Nahar" that Egypt's current conditions require that its ruler has a military background.
Khairallah noted that being a former commander does not mean he is the military's preferred candidate, noting that if he did not mention his former position, he would be deceiving people.
Khairallah denied supporting any particular political movement or party, stressing that he will be in contact with all political forces and stand for all Egyptians.
