• February 23, 2006
  • 3 minutes read

Akef Urges Working to Fight Corruption

Akef Urges Working to Fight Corruption

The Muslim Brotherhood’s Leader Mr. Mohamed Akef asserted that the Egyptian regime has no real intention for reform, change, abandoning autocracy or eradication of corruption. He questioned the government pledges to set a timetable for reform. 
On Tuesday, in his address to the meeting of the National Front for Change, consists of opposition powers, Akef stressed that we are still at the threshold of a long way to reform. He called for parties and powers to set aside their differences and unify their efforts working for the interest of the country and people. The Brotherhood is ready to cooperate with all sides to resist autocracy and corruption, he remarked. 
 
Mr. Akef, in addition, appealed to the Secretary General of the Arab League (AL), Mr. Amr Mousa to set up a public fund to support Palestinians.
 
The Brotherhood’s leader said the decree to put off the mid-April municipal elections by two years represents a new violation of the legislature and a rollback of the regime’s electoral commitments. He added the group has some concerns over this law; It is introduced by the President in person to force all MPs of Mubarak’s National Democratic Party to approve it, the Shura Council, the lower House, referred the law very fast to the People Assembly which endorsed it in one session while other necessary laws take years to be passed, for example, the bill of the Judiciary Power, which pending a final decision since 15 years and the amendments that prevent imprisonment of journalists.
 
Furthermore, the decision to defer the elections followed the parliamentary vote in which the Muslim Brotherhood picked up 88 seats while other 40 of its candidates were frauduently eliminated, according to statements of the Prime Minister to the American News Week. Hence, we regard the step an attempt to avert similar gains for Islamists. Besides, the election postponement coincided with the results of the Palestinian legislative ballots which reflected the popular desire in Arab and Islamic countries for the Islam-style reform.
 
Akef added the decree prevents parties and independents from being qualified to nominate candidates in the presidential elections paving the way for inheritance of power.
 
In addition, a prominent MP of the NDP admitted that municipalities are rife with corruption. Accordingly, the law nourishes corruption turning allegations of reform into mere lies. Therefore, the successive catastrophes that hit Egypt are not surprising, for example, the doomed al-Salaam 98 Ferry and the bird flu that can not be fought without the support of people who lose confidence in the government. At the end, Akef paid tribute to those who opposed the law.