Supporters of Nasserist presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi plan to form human chains in ten governorates on Tuesday as part of their campaigning efforts.
The governorates include Upper Egypt’s Luxor, the canal governorates of Suez, Ismailia and Port Said, the Nile Delta’s Alexandria, Qalyoubiya and Gharbiya, in addition to the Red Sea, North Sinai and Giza in Greater Cairo.
The campaign has been holding demonstrations and human chains on a frequent basis over the past week in an effort to drum up support for the Nasserist candidate.
Sabahi, meanwhile, will be heading to the eastern Delta governorate of Sharqiya where he plans to hold a campaign rally at a social club.
He will be accompanied by constitutional expert Mohamed Nour Farahat, former health minister Amr Helmy, economic expert Abdel-Khaleq Farouq, as well as the Constitution Party’s Khaled Daoud, according to state news agency MENA.
Several political parties and independent figures have announced their support for Sabahi, who is the only contender against former army chief Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.
Sabahi supporters include the Constitution Party, the Socialist Popular Alliance Party, Amr Hamzawy’s Egypt Freedom Party, the centrist Adl Party, the Revolutionary Socialists and Sabahi’s Egyptian Popular Current and Karama Party.
Several public figures have also declared their backing for him, including liberals and leftists.
Late Monday, Sabahi held a video conference with Egyptian expats in the US.
Meanwhile, El-Sisi used video conferencing on Monday to speak to voters in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Assiut.
El-Sisi, who is widely expected to win the election, recently claimed to have faced two assassination attempts, prompting observers to predict he will not be making as many public appearances as Sabahi.
Many parties back El-Sisi, including the liberal Wafd Party, the Tagammu Party, the Salafist Nour Party, Amr Mousa’s Conference Party.
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) released a statement prior to El-Sisi’s nomination saying it supported his presidential bid.
The Muslim Brotherhood of former president Mohamed Morsi is boycotting the election. It maintains that Morsi, ousted last July, is the only legitimate president.
Egyptians will cast their ballots on 26-27 May. Egyptians abroad will vote 15 – 18 May.
Source: Ahram Online
