In Egypt, free elections are a fantasy

In light of the policy of repression, tyranny and terrorism practiced by the brutal coup-led government in Egypt, and at a time when Egyptians do not feel that they or their families are safe from oppression, torture and murder, the brutal coup-led government insists on holding presidential elections.

Propaganda campaigns for Field Marshal Al-Sisi are filling the squares in Egypt, as well as the hypocritical and corrupt conferences being held on a daily basis under a variety of slogans including “Do Your Duty”, “Al-Sisi Is Our President”, etc.

All of this is being promoted by a large group of people who have been struck by a state of mania and madness and have been blinded by the misleading and misguiding media operated by the security services according to a plan aimed at reshaping the public’s awareness and consciences to suit that of the coup-leaders.

This media is flipping the facts and falsifying events in order to stabilise their positions on the ground and establish the leader of the coup, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi as president to preserve the corruption in the country. This therefore protects the coup-leaders’ interests and property and allows them to continue to loot and steal the country’s wealth and resources from its good, patient and poor people whose suffering under the brutal coup is far worse than anything they suffered during Mubarak’s reign.

In spite of this confusion, they are insisting on holding the presidential elections in order to get rid of the figurehead, the interim president, and showcase the true president who is ruling Egypt at the moment, Marshall Al-Sisi, of course.

They want to move Al-Sisi from behind the curtain and put him centre-stage, while continuing to claim that the elections will be free and fair, and while dozens of Hamdeen Sabahi’s (their partner in the coup) supporters are being arrested because they were promoting his election.

This is a farce by all standards. Even Sabahi’s announcement of his candidacy for presidency is merely an act in this farcical play and a necessary prop to delude the world that a real and serious election will be held in which two strong rival candidates will go head to head for presidency. Sabahi knows he will lose the elections and he was most likely forced by his master to run for office; Sabahi himself has said that Al-Sisi is his master.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.