In 2009, before Mohamed ElBaradei challenged the Hosni Mubarak regime, Mahmoud El-Hettah dared to propose the Nobel laureate as a presidential alternative, believing that the people would have their way 'no matter what.' Today, as El-Hettah voices dismay over the performance of President Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first freely-elected head of state, he remains a firm believer that 'whatever the people decide will happen.'

Excerpts


In the final days of his regime, Mubarak was not the ultimate ruler of the nation; he was running the country in partnership with his son, Gamal. My fear today is that Morsi is starting off where Mubarak left off: ruling the country in partnership with the Muslim Brotherhood's guidance bureau.


When we talk about the engagement of the military in politics, we must remember 2 February 2011, when the army turned a blind eye to the 'invasion' of Tahrir Square by thugs and camels. We must also remember the Maspero massacre [an attack on Coptic demonstrators by army personnel], and the clashes on Mohamed Mahmoud Street and outside the prime minister’s office. Before we reintroduce the army into the picture, we need to recall the euphoria that many people felt when Mubarak handed over power to the army on 11 February 2011 – and everything that came afterward.


We confused our priorities when we began the electoral process before writing a constitution. Today, we are inclined to confuse things again when we re-invite the army into the political scene.


The Muslim Brotherhood's young cadres were there with us in Tahrir Square. Nobody denies the role they played in standing up to the attack by thugs and camels on 2 February. But this is not to say that the Muslim Brotherhood is a revolutionary organisation, or that they were part of the 25 January Revolution, or that they were not willing to give up on it [the revolution] if they were to secure handsome political gains through their talks with Omar Suleiman, Mubarak’s vice president at the time.


I boycotted the second round of the presidential elections because I refused to be forced to choose between a Muslim Brotherhood candidate and a candidate of the regime of Hosni Mubarak, which the 25 January Revolution had ousted. Morsi offered himself as the candidate who stood for the 25 January Revolution – as opposed to Ahmed Shafiq [Egypt's last Mubarak-era PM], who stood against the revolution by virtue of being a member of the Mubarak regime. Today, Morsi has failed to honour the spirit or demands of the revolution that made him president.


Morsi, and for that matter the Muslim Brotherhood, are reducing the wide show of discontent over the president's poor performance to 'a mere conspiracy that aims to oust the Muslim Brotherhood.' This is a big miscalculation. If someone cannot see the real reasons for the public contempt, then they have a big problem. And we all know from the Mubarak experience the dangers of overlooking public discontent.


I am shocked at the attempts of some to justify the performance of Morsi and I want to ask them, if it were [failed presidential candidate] Amr Moussa who ordered security forces to attack demonstrators before the presidential palace, would you have said he was simply observing security protocol? And if it were Moussa who sent a very courteous letter of accreditation with the new Egyptian ambassador to Israel, would you have said that he was just observing diplomatic protocol?


I am tired of those who keep telling us 'give Morsi a chance.' How many chances does Morsi need? Morsi was given a chance right from the beginning when he was offered the support of key liberal figures based upon understandings reached with him, on the eve of the second round [of presidential elections], which he never kept. It has been over seven months now and he has not kept a single one of his electoral promises.


As far as I am concerned, the people are bound to have their way. This is the story of the 25 January Revolution, and this is the one thing that Morsi should never overlook: whatever the people decide will happen.




https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/67616.aspx