The Egyptian Movement for Change
No to a Fifth Term….No to Handing Down Power
(KEFAYA)
Statement to the Nation
No to a Fifth Term….No to Handing Down Power
(KEFAYA)
Statement to the Nation
The presidential elections were at the top of the demands we have called for in our establishing statement to the nation. However, we called for real, honest and unrigged elections. We called for elections that will allow the Egyptian people –without any coercion- to freely and honestly choose their president. We wanted elections that achieve honest competition and complete equality among candidates without discrimination or bias. We wanted real elections that open the door to democratic change, peaceful circulation of power between all political parties and powers, as well as achieve the people's interests and save Egypt from corruption and political and economic subordination.
They have forged the national will with the deformed amendment to Article 76 of the Constitution which practically restricted election competition to no more than 300 persons who are members of the higher leadership bodies of the official political parties, thus depriving the remaining 72 million Egyptians from this right. Moreover, they intentionally failed to respond to the demands made by Egypt's honest judges to have complete supervision over the election process and deliberately refrained from promulgating the Judiciary Authority Law. They also deliberately rigged the public referendum on Article 76 of the Constitution. The report issued by the Judges' Club exposed this rigging when it affirmed that average participation in the referendum did not exceed 3% of registered voters. The report also denied the lie about the participation of 11,000 judges in supervising the mentioned referendum. The report also affirmed that the heads of the public committees did not -in reality- monitor or supervise the activities of the sub-committees and that 95% of the sub-committees were headed by employees who can neither be independent nor immune and who were terrorized by the police in order to help rig the referendum.
These affirmations stated in the Judges' Club report in turn prove the illegitimacy of the results of the referendum on Article 76 of the Constitution, as well as the illegitimacy of the current elections, which are taking place in circumstances worse than those of the referendum.
As preparations are underway for the presidential election, a large number of the best of Egypt's judges were excluded from participating in supervising the elections because they have stances opposed to the government and have demanded complete judiciary supervision of the elections. This was not enough. The mentioned –excluded- judges were replaced by members of prosecution and State Cases Authority. They did this knowing the scarcity of judges and the extreme need for them to supervise the election (with 54,350 polling stations divided over 329 public committees). This proves they are not serious in enabling the judges to supervise the election, thus early on deliberately preparing to rig the election because they have also insisted on holding the election in one day, knowing that the number of judges does not exceed 11,125 who have participated in supervising the referendum on Article 76. Even then judiciary supervision did not exceed 20%. Allocating one day for presidential elections means the absence of any real intention to hold free and fair elections because the number of voters registered in sub-committees range between 600 and 700 voters per committee. This means they need over 50 working hours in order for every individual to cast their vote in no more than five minutes per person. Considering that working hours will not be more than 12 hours, we need at least four days to allow voters to cast their votes. These facts prove that the coming presidential elections will be without legitimacy from two angles:
I: From the legal point of view: According to the facts affirmed by the Judges' Club report about the rigging of the referendum on Article 76 amendment. Since the presidential election is based on this amended article thus it is illegitimate because it is based on an illegitimate amendment.
II: From the political point of view: The absence of political legitimacy because the vast majority of those who are entitled to be candidates were deprived of this right. There was an intentional violation of the principle of equality prescribed by the Constitution to citizens in rights and duties without discrimination.
Thus, when we call for boycotting this intentional forgery of the forged elections, we affirm that the legitimacy of the resulting president will be doubtful. This situation dictates that we continue to escalate democratic demands and insist that all democratic national power continue to do so.
We at the Egyptian Movement for Change "Kefaya" announce now that we do not acknowledge the results of these elections which they are using to snatch the authority imposed on the Egyptian people under the fall pretenses of reform stated in President Mubarak's election program.
Over the past 24 years President Mubarak possessed all the means to introduce reform and change. Why hasn't he performed the promises included in this program?
President Mubarak's election program, which failed to include any mention of fighting corruption and corruptors in state institutions, thus affirms the intention to continue to plunder wealth and power and violate the national will for change and for establishing a society of justice and freedom.
Within this context the 7th of September only has one meaning for us: the countdown for the end of the oppressive state, the dawn to freedom and justice is drawing close. We announce to everyone that all honest Egyptians will not neglect their national duty for the sake of justice, freedom and democracy.
The Egyptian Movement for Change "Kefaya" pledges to our people to continue to struggle for freedom, democracy, progress and independence.
Long live Egypt free and independent
Long live the struggle of the Egyptians to regain their and their country's dignity
