By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    HDB targets 25% growth in profits, various activities by 2023-end: CEO
    HDB targets 25% growth in profits, various activities by 2023-end: CEO
    June 4, 2023
    Bank ABC Egypt sees 158% profit growth in 1Q 2023, after merging with BLOM Bank
    Bank ABC Egypt sees 158% profit growth in 1Q 2023, after merging with BLOM Bank
    June 4, 2023
    146% growth in net profit of Attijariwafa bank Egypt reaching EGP 434.5m in 1Q 2023
    146% growth in net profit of Attijariwafa bank Egypt reaching EGP 434.5m in 1Q 2023
    June 4, 2023
    Al Ahly Pharos tops brokerage ranking in May
    Al Ahly Pharos tops brokerage ranking in May
    June 4, 2023
    Beltone Leasing signs EGP 500m sale-and-leaseback agreement With Hassan Allam Properties
    Beltone Leasing signs EGP 500m sale-and-leaseback agreement With Hassan Allam Properties
    June 4, 2023
  • Politics
    PoliticsShow More
    Iranian, Saudi FMs meet on bilateral ties
    Iranian, Saudi FMs meet on bilateral ties
    June 4, 2023
    Egypt’s PM inspects service, development projects in Alexandria
    Egypt’s PM inspects service, development projects in Alexandria
    June 4, 2023
    FM Shoukry attends inauguration ceremony of Turkish President
    FM Shoukry attends inauguration ceremony of Turkish President
    June 3, 2023
    1 Egyptian security personnel, 3 Israeli soldiers were killed in border shooting
    1 Egyptian security personnel, 3 Israeli soldiers were killed in border shooting 
    June 3, 2023
    India train crash kills at least 207, injures hundreds 
    India train crash kills at least 207, injures hundreds 
    June 3, 2023
  • Interviews
    InterviewsShow More
    EFG Finance to launch unified platform gathering all its financing services: Alaa Al-Afifi
    EFG Finance to launch unified platform gathering all its financing services: Alaa Al-Afifi
    May 31, 2023
    I changed my artistic path to create ‘state of wonder’: Tarek Lotfi
    I changed my artistic path to create ‘state of wonder’: Tarek Lotfi
    May 25, 2023
    I adore Ramadan drama, ‘Telt Al-Talata’ series achieved great success: Ghada Abdel Razek
    I adore Ramadan drama, ‘Telt Al-Talata’ series achieved great success: Ghada Abdel Razek
    May 8, 2023
    We aim to establish Egypt as nearshore centre for Software AG for MET region: Rami Kichli
    We aim to establish Egypt as nearshore centre for Software AG for MET region: Rami Kichli
    April 29, 2023
    Egypt-Spain relations witness remarkable development in recent years: Spanish ambassador in Cairo
    Egypt-Spain relations witness remarkable development in recent years: Spanish ambassador in Cairo
    April 18, 2023
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Reading: One-hit wonders
Share
Notification
Latest News
HDB targets 25% growth in profits, various activities by 2023-end: CEO
HDB targets 25% growth in profits, various activities by 2023-end: CEO
Banking
Bank ABC Egypt sees 158% profit growth in 1Q 2023, after merging with BLOM Bank
Bank ABC Egypt sees 158% profit growth in 1Q 2023, after merging with BLOM Bank
Banking
146% growth in net profit of Attijariwafa bank Egypt reaching EGP 434.5m in 1Q 2023
146% growth in net profit of Attijariwafa bank Egypt reaching EGP 434.5m in 1Q 2023
Banking
Al Ahly Pharos tops brokerage ranking in May
Al Ahly Pharos tops brokerage ranking in May
Business
Beltone Leasing signs EGP 500m sale-and-leaseback agreement With Hassan Allam Properties
Beltone Leasing signs EGP 500m sale-and-leaseback agreement With Hassan Allam Properties
Business
Aa
Aa
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Advertise
© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.
Dailynewsegypt > Blog > Opinion > One-hit wonders
Opinion

One-hit wonders

Mohamed Fouad
Last updated: 2013/09/21 at 6:33 PM
By Mohamed Fouad 5 Min Read
Share
Dr Mohamed Fouad
SHARE
Dr Mohamed Fouad
Dr Mohamed Fouad

In a country that has become infatuated with political talk, the lack of sustainable political actions never ceases to amaze me. Despite their instantaneous impact, several movements that have surfaced on the Egyptian political scene in the past 10 years never took off or accomplished the form of continuity which brings about significant structural change. Here is a look at some of these change agents and how they fared.

Kefaya

“Kefaya” was the name denoting the Egyptian Movement for Change. The movement was launched as a platform for protest against the president then, Hosny Mubarak. It came to prominence during the 2005 constitutional referendum and presidential election campaigns. The movement was later plagued with leadership changes and internal debates until it seemingly ran out of steam. The sternest critique of Kefaya is that it was fundamentally a protest movement, targeting President Mubarak, without putting forward an alternative or expressing a practical vision for change. Ironically, a movement that has called itself a movement for change never really articulated what this change is supposed to be, aside from toppling the existing president. While the movement fell short of the overblown expectations, Kefaya’s primary achievement has been the introduction of the concept of protesting and dissent into the then stagnant Egyptian political sphere.

April 6 Youth Movement

Established in the spring of 2008, this Egyptian activist group sought to support the workers in El Mahala Al Kobra for their strike planned for 6 April of the same year. In the road to 25 January, the movement was engaged in resistance to the regime with activists constantly being harassed by the authorities. The movement has embraced 25 January, as it sought to play a role in mobilizing youth against President Mubarak. Shortly after, the movement contemplated turning into a political party; however, this thought never truly materialized. It is worth noting that Otpor, the Serbian movement which April 6 is loosely modeled after, has transformed into a political party, but failed to pass the 5% threshold and win seats in the Serbian National assembly, and soon ceased its activities. The April 6 Movement was most definitely destined for the same fate, should it have turned into mainstream politics. Instead, the group succumbed to continuing leadership rifts as it flip-flops between political positions. Once supporting former President Morsi in the second round of the elections, it is now torn between whether or not to support the current transition. The only certain fact is that the group is steadily walking on a path of disintegration.

Tamarod

The chances of you opening a TV channel or grabbing a newspaper without a Tamarod member being part of the act are always slim to none. The movement that was founded to register opposition against President Morsi, and force him to step down by collecting signatures, is still holding to its place in the public sphere. Having won places in the 50-members constitution writing committee, the group is the current darling of grassroots movements. In August, the group announced that it will likely form a political party. A bit reminiscent of what April 6 has contemplated and I have no doubt that it if this materializes, it will have the same fate as Otpor. The group is technically a Kefaya 2.0 who rode a wave of popular dissent and military support. With the stated target achieved, and no alternative vision being presented, the group is certainly enjoying its final moments of fame.

It remains a mystery as to why none of these movements gave rise to long lasting organized movements. This is in large due to the lack of a long term vision. From Kefaya to Tamarod, the movements which have sprung in the Egyptian political scene were bound to single objectives. Once those objectives were fulfilled, these movements were left in a limbo. While I agree that political progression requires the presence of change agents, it is the continuity part that is seriously lacking here. There remains the fundamental flaw of mistaking motion for action, and thus leaving all those movements as nothing but one-hit wonders.

You Might Also Like

Egypt and France discuss joint cooperation in the health sector 

Opinion| Russia and China promote stability in the Middle East after the US withdrawal from the region

Opinion| The American debt crisis and the 2024 elections

Opinion| Tips for startups operating in the tough environment of emerging markets

Egypt, Italy discuss joint cooperation in environment

TAGGED: Daily News Egypt, DNE, Egypt, Kefaya, Mohamed Fouad., political groups, politics, Tamarod
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
By Mohamed Fouad
Mohamed A. Fouad is a global expert on service quality as well as a political and social activist
Previous Article Religious leaders and Syrian refugees meet in Lebanon
Next Article Animal rights in Egypt
1 Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ad image
Ad image

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Instagram Follow
Youtube Subscribe

Latest News

HDB targets 25% growth in profits, various activities by 2023-end: CEO
HDB targets 25% growth in profits, various activities by 2023-end: CEO
Banking
Bank ABC Egypt sees 158% profit growth in 1Q 2023, after merging with BLOM Bank
Bank ABC Egypt sees 158% profit growth in 1Q 2023, after merging with BLOM Bank
Banking
146% growth in net profit of Attijariwafa bank Egypt reaching EGP 434.5m in 1Q 2023
146% growth in net profit of Attijariwafa bank Egypt reaching EGP 434.5m in 1Q 2023
Banking
Al Ahly Pharos tops brokerage ranking in May
Al Ahly Pharos tops brokerage ranking in May
Business
//
Egypt’s only independent daily newspaper in English. Discuss the country’s latest with the paper’s reporters, editors, and other readers.

Quick Link

  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.

Join Us!

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news, podcasts etc..

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?