CAIRO: Only one month into the 2008-2009 People’s Assembly (PA) term and controversy is already looming over it, especially with regards to the Muslim Brotherhood.
A court ruled that Muslim Brotherhood MP Adel Hamed, had violated the criteria for candidacy. He should not have been allowed to run under the workers’ quota because he owned a car during the nomination period in November 2005.
Other candidates who were running against Hamed for the position had filed the case against him, providing documents that the MP owned a car allegedly violating the law. The verdict was appealed by Hamed.
Should the court annul Hamed’s membership, elections for his constituency of Sayeda Zeinab, will have to be repeated and PA Speaker Fathi Sorour, as the MP under the quote set for professionals in the same constituency will have to join the race once again.
However, news reports suggest that elections may only be held for the workers’ seat.
This is not the first court ruling disqualifying a candidate from the elections or nulling his membership in the PA.
However, the majority of such cases involving NDP members are usually ignored and their PA membership continues uncontested. According to reports, there are 182 such rulings which the assembly has disregarded, agitating opposition MPs.
“The National Democratic Party is the only benefiting party in the case, said Hussein Mohamed Ibrahim, spokesperson of the MB Bloc at the PA.
The past two weeks have been particularly rough for the Muslim Brotherhood as 65 members from four different governorates were arrested. The members in Sharqiya, Gharbia, Ismailia and Alexandria were detained for belonging to an illegitimate party, possessing political pamphlets and holding meetings and inciting citizens to riot and protest against the government.
