GAMAL MUBARAK AS PRESIDENT NOT ACCEPTIBLE

Mahdi Akef, chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) of Egypt rejected Gamal Mubarak, the son of the current Egyptian President, as a possible presidential candidate. Akef clarified, in a statement, that the Muslim Brotherhood had once agreed that Gamal Mubarak could be a presidential candidate treated as any other Egyptian citizen. However, after 2005 constitutional amendments declared by the Egyptian President, the Muslim Brotherhood refused Gamal Mubarak as a nominee for presidency. Akef believed that such constitutional amendments, especially Article 76, were tailored to suit Gamal Mubarak. He further added that he cannot be a presidential candidate unless he leaves his father’s palace and deals with the Egyptian society. Akef also stated that the Muslim Brotherhood refused Gamal Mubarak after it has witnessed his authoritarian policies, including referring civilians to military tribunals, mass arrests of MB and other opposition members in general. He added that all such decisions were taken by the Policy Committee of the National Democratic Party (NDP) headed by Gamal Mubarak.