Egypt’s businessmen accused of getting wealthy on USAID

Egypt’s businessmen accused of getting wealthy on USAID

Addressing a seminar held by the Egyptian division of the “Arab Region Parliamentarians against Corruption” at the Muslim Brotherhood’s parliamentary bloc Hussein condemned the government which corrupted the judges. Former leftist MP Mohamed Abdel-Aziz Shaaban alleged that senior NDP leaders, led by Hosni Mubarak‘s son Gamal, Ahmed Ezz and Mohamed Abul-Enein, are an extension of Sadat’s corrupt policies

 
Dr. Mohamed Saad El-Katatni, head of the Muslim Brotherhood Parliamentary bloc, affirmed that merging money and power has resulted in widespread corruption which has been widely observed where scores of candidates running for parliamentary election spent millions of pounds on their campaigns. The illicit use of large sums of money during campaigning has created unequal campaigning conditions
 
Dr. Gamal Zahran claimed that the business elite must not continue to work without the regime’s authoritarian rule. He questioned how company owners such as Ahmed Ezz, and Mohamed Abul-Enein, could assume posts in parliament since they are acquainted with top state secrets and are at the core of decision making. He accused them of utilizing information for the benefit of their companies. Zahran also emphasized that the constitution stipulates giving up their enterprises as soon as they assume a parliamentary post
 
In his speech, economic researcher Dr. Abdul Khaleq Farouq stressed that parliamentary funds have fallen in the hands of the elite businessmen and their families where a large number of MPs and officials’ money has come from loans obtained from national banks and the USAID. He indicated that business men received 85% of the loans granted by government banks. Farouq said President Sadat was the first to tempt deputies with privileges in efforts to tighten government control over internal matters. He also emphasized the law entitled the Minister of Finance not to institute legal proceedings against the businessmen allegedly involved in massive tax evasion
 
Farouk concluded his speech by stressing the necessity of activating drafts that prohibit police officers and judges, in authority, from assuming office before 3 years from leaving the service to avoid the incidence bribery and corruption