Egypt approves cabinet reshuffle ahead of elections

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Egypt’s parliament approved on Sunday a cabinet reshuffle including four new ministers, government sources said, two months ahead of a scheduled presidential election.

The reshuffle included the appointment of Abu Bakr al-Gendi as minister for local development, Rania al-Mashat as tourism minister, Enas Abdeldayem as culture minister and Khaled Badawy as public enterprise minister.

Two new ministry deputies were also appointed in the reshuffle.

Housing Minister Mustafa Madbuly will continue to serve as interim prime minister while Prime Minister Sherif Ismail recovers from surgery, government sources said.

Egypt is set to hold a presidential vote on March 26-28, with a run-off on April 24-26. Candidates must register between Jan. 20 and 29.

File photo of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi /Reuters Photo

Egypt’s last cabinet reshuffle was in February last year and included new investment and agriculture ministers.

Candidates

Former military chief of staff General Sami Anan will run in Egypt’s upcoming presidential election, the party he leads said on Thursday.

Sami Balah, the secretary general of the Arabism Egypt Party, said party members and officials across the country had been contacted about collecting the required votes of nomination.

Egypt's former army chief of staff Sami Anan, speaks during a news conference about his position in the next presidential election at his office in Cairo, March 13, 2014. /Reuters Photo

Anan’s candidacy news came days after former Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik, and Sisi’s most serious competition, said he was no longer considering running for president in this year’s elections.

The 73-year-old ex-air force commander and former aviation minister, who had closely lost to Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Mursi in 2012, blamed his living abroad for his initial decision to run.

Prominent human rights lawyer Khaled Ali said in a news conference he will not pull out of the race despite “unfair competition conditions.” Ali also ran for president in the 2012 election and came in seventh.

"We will not turn our back on this battle at a time like this,” Ali told a news conference on Thursday, calling on the youths who revolted in 2011 to support his campaign.

Egyptian lawyer and ex-presidential candidate Khaled Ali speaks during a news conference in Cairo, Egypt, Nov. 6, 2017. /Reuters Photo

The 45-year-old lawyer was sentenced in September to three months in jail for public indecency over an allegedly rude hand gesture. If found guilty, Ali, whose next hearing is on March 7, will be disqualified from the race.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is expected to seek a second term, but has yet to announce his candidacy. Over three-quarters of parliamentarians expressed support for Sisi the day after the election date was announced.

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Source(s): Reuters