Egyptian women alliance against Mubarak succession plan

 Over recent years, speculation has been rife that Mubarak, 81, is grooming his younger son Jamal, a banker-turned-politician, to take over after him. Both Mubaraks have repeatedly denied such claims.

Egyptian women have launched an alliance to block the alleged plan by President Hosni Mubarak to hand over power to his son.

“The group is independent and limited to women. It is not open to men,” said Enas Abdel Karim, a spokeswoman for the movement.

“Though having no affiliation to any political or religious group, our movement is ready to get support from recognised political parties,” she added in press remarks, tacitly balking at potential backing from the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s strongest-but-outlawed opposition power.

Over recent years, speculation has been rife that Mubarak, 81, is grooming his younger son Jamal, a banker-turned-politician, to take over after him. Both Mubaraks have repeatedly denied such claims.

“That our movement is limited to women does not underestimate men. The aim is to show that women have a big role in bringing about changes and introducing reforms,” said Abdel Karim.

The group, calling itself “Women against Hereditary Succession” is due to hold its maiden meeting in Alexandria, Egypt’s second biggest city, on Thursday.

According to Abdel Karim, the group comprises prominent businesswomen and human rights activists. The movement is the second to be launched in less than a month with the declared aim of opposing dynastic succession in Egypt.

Last month, Ayman Nour, an opposition leader and the founder of Al Ghad Party, set up an alliance of liberals and Islamists to block the alleged plan by Mubarak to pass on power to his 46-year-old son, who is an influential politician in the ruling party.
Mubarak, who has been in power since 1981, has not designated a successor and has yet to say if he will seek a sixth six-year term after his current tenure ends in 2011.

Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif has recently raised concerns among opposition when he was quoted as saying that he saw Mubarak the junior as a possibility in running for the presidency.