Supporters of Abdul Moneim Aboul Fotouh, member of the Muslim Brotherhood Shura Council, have started a campaign to support his candidacy for presidency despite the fact that he has yet to announce whether he will run.
According to the campaign and a leaflet prepared by his supporters, Aboul Fotouh will run for president “for the sake of our country, our people, and the young men and women who have sacrificed their children and their mothers’ happiness."
The campaign called on the public to support Aboul Fotouh because, it said, Egyptians should not have to elect the best of bad presidential candidates or to elect a president who has lived abroad while Egyptians were suffering domestically. The campaign also outlined Aboul Fotouh's accomplishments and his volunteer and relief work.
Members of the campaign employed black and white pictures of Sadat and Mubarak to reference an 'age of darkness' juxtaposed with a colored photo of Aboul Fotouh. Details of a famous debate between former President Sadat and Aboul Fotouh, when he was a medical student, were written under his photo along with his resistance against Mubarak’s regime. Aboul Fotouh was arrested three times under Mubarak's rule.
“Abdul Monem Aboul Fotouh: a president for Egypt because Egypt deserves to be a leader,” read one campaign slogan. Others said "We want a national president, who is not from the old regime;” “We want a charismatic president who has a conscience;” “We want a president for the youth who is not over 70 years old;" and ” We want a moderate president who can unite all Egyptians.”
The campaign materials included information on Aboul Fotouh’s views on political, educational, economic, and judicial reforms as well as his views on women and his concept of freedom.
"We have collected donations to print and distribute this campaign leaflet. When we presented the leaflet to Aboul Fotouh, he told us 'God bless you'," campaign coordinator Mohamed Haykal told Al-Masry Al-Youm.
Aboul Fotouh’s media advisor Mohammad Abbas said the Muslim Brotherhood leader has yet to decide if will run for president.
Abbas told Al-Masry Al-Youm that information published on various websites regarding Aboul Fotouh’s presidential nomination was disseminated by a group of his supporters who have formed a coalition to support his candidacy. In an effort to push him to make a presidential bid, the informal coalition is highlighting his achievements to the public and media.
Abbas added that no one can intervene in the timing of Aboul Fotouh's announcement regarding his potential candidacy.
Aboul Fotouh, a liberal-minded Islamist, has been at the center of a recent controversy regarding splits within the movement. Aboul Fotouh has reaffirmed his membership within the Muslim Brotherhood, denying earlier reports that he had broken away from the group to form his own movement. Aboul Fotouh was sidelined by conservative members of the Muslim Brotherhood a year ago.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
