Despite jubilation among the so called proponents of the “Arab Spring” and in spite of the boisterous claims emanating out of Cairo–we have always been very skeptical of the happenings in Tahrir Square and beyond.
While Mr Mubarak’s death bed is proudly displayed inside a cage inside an Egyptian courtroom, the fact remains that his biggest henchman had asserted more power and rendered the the election a farce–that it is.
Field Marshall never had any intention to give up power or let the Ikhwan win any “elections”.
Their latest military communique voids the last election and essentially dissolves it. In addition the Field Marshall has veto over any legislation that could ever be passed whenever that happens in the future.
The naive expected the people to rule in Egypt. We knew that the powers to be could never allow the real Egyptian to take power.
We are not surprised. Those who are did not have the political maturity to grasps the profundity of the stakes that prevent democracy in most third world countries.
While the Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Mursi claimed victory the military handed itself sweeping powers in a move denounced by activists as a “coup.”
This was no surprise.
An Ikhwan victory would have been a grave threat to the powers to be.
The military rulers’ quickly moved to consolidate power ahead of the final results have rendered any future president toothless.
The military’s candidate, Me Mubaraks Premiet, and Mr Murai’s rival Ahmed Shafiq, a former air force chief and ex-prime minister is still trying to aim victory and may indeed be declared the winner by the army beholden to the establishment.
Despite Murai’s attempt to water-down his real motives and say the right things to placate Western ears–the army will be in no mood to give him any power.
The jubilation in the Mursi camp was overshadowed however by a looming showdown between the Ikhwan and the ruling military, which issued a new constitutional document shortly after polls closed on Sunday granting it sweeping powers.
“The military hands power to the military,” read the headline of the Egyptian independent daily al-Masry al-Youm.
“A president with no powers,” read the huge headline of the independent al-Shorouk.
“The military council, with its unconstitutional coup, gave itself (unprecedented) powers. The military council has never and will never recognise popular legitimacy that contradicts it,” the Coalition of Revolution Youth said in a statement.
The document issued by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces grants the body legislative powers after a top court on Thursday ordered the dissolution of parliament.
The document gives Scaf veto power over the text of a new permanent constitution, and states that no new parliamentary vote will be held until after a permanent constitution is approved. This is a joke!
The Ilhwan called the interim charter “null and unconstitutional,” setting itself on a collision course with the military.
The document was issued after last week’s constitutional court ruling which found a third of the parliament’s members had been elected illegally, effectively ordering the dissolution of the body.
“The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces shall exercise the powers referred to under the first clause of article 56 (on legislative power)… until the election of a new People’s Assembly,” the document reads.
Such an election cannot be held until a new permanent constitution is written and adopted by a referendum, it adds.
The writing of the new constitution will be carried out by a “constitutional commission representing all segments of the society” that will have three months to complete its work, the document says.
All these are political machinations to prevent the people from taking power in Cairo.
It also grants Scaf a veto right over any article of a draft constitution it considers “contrary to the supreme interests of the country.”
All this shows continuation of the Mubarak regime by the same players that crushed the attempt by Egyptians to take power.
Egypt’s parliament has already appointed a constituent panel to replace an initial group that was dissolved over allegations it was dominated by fundamentalists.
The military declaration gives Scaf the right to form a new panel if the current body “is prevented from doing its work.”
It also stipulates that Scaf “as currently constituted, has the power to decide on all matters related to the armed forces.”
Parliamentary speaker Saad al-Katatni, an FJP member, said the constituent assembly appointed by the parliament would continue its work.
In English this means –the dictator is dying –long live the dictator.
When I stayed up all night and along the whole of the people of the civilized world was holding its breath to wait for the Greek elections on Al Jazeera, I had to be tormented when the air time of the channel was shared with the results of the completely useless Egyptian elections. An appeal should be made to the UN that when important nations hold elections, no Muslim nation should be allowed hold the same. They can wait for their turn and keep themselves occupied by tearing each other to pieces such as in Syria, Iraq, Pakistan.