Head of Egypt's ruling military council Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi (Photo: Reuters)
An anonymous military source quoted by online news portal Masrawy on Tuesday denied that Field-Marshal Hussein Tantawi, head of Egypt’s ruling military council, has plans to run for the presidency.
The assertion follows a surprise appearance by Tantawi in Downtown Cairo on Monday night.
According to the source, the field-marshal had been in the area for a private family visit when he decided to take a walk in the street - atypically dressed in civilian attire - in order to hear the views of ordinary citizens.
Tantawi’s surprise tour, which was heavily covered in the local media, has raised fears among some critics that the military leader - who for two decades served as defence minister under ousted president Hosni Mubarak – may be considering his own presidential bid.
Egypt’s presidential elections are slated for sometime next year, although an exact date has yet to be set.
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