Egypt Braces for Presidential Elections

This US Embassy alert just came in my inbox a moment ago...

May 22, 2014

As it states, Egypt is bracing for the Presidential Elections set to take place on Monday-Tuesday, May 26-27.  Though we have not heard of any organized or serious threats at polling places or throughout the country, everyone is proceeding with a great deal of caution after the last few years have seen the political process to be a time of great contention.

What's expected:

• Former General / Field Marshall El Sisi (said, "C-C") is expected to win with a vast majority of

  

  screen shot AJE July 2013

  votes.  This expected win and his superstardom across the country has created some criticism on his actions to lead the removal of former democratically elected President Morsi last June.  He was the face of last summer's revolution that began with the Tamarod (Rebel) campaign that led to the single largest political demonstration in human history.   Though his face is everywhere, with the exception of a recently televised interview, Sisi has been very quiet.  

• The other (main) candidate is the charismatic Nasserist Hamdeen Sabahi who surprised everyone in the last Presidential Election with a sudden surge at the poll that left him just outside of the runoff in third place.  Sabahi has been campaigning as you would expect a Presidential hopeful to campaign.  Though many feel that he is only running to stay in the public's eye with his own eye on the future, there are enough people who are critical of Sisi, the military's leadership, the crackdown on the Brotherhood, and "revolution purists"--coupled with the anticipation of a boycott by many--that Sabahi closing the gap in what was once expected to be a landslide would really not be that surprising.

• The comedic twist is the spoof campaign of "House of Cards" actor Kevin Spacey (who plays a devious politician in the hit internet series) -- the campaign pictured here has been a popular post in social networking.  Hmmm, El Spacey would definitely spice up an already hot political situation in Egypt.

While we wonder what the next week will bring, we have a busy weekend of ministry lined up.  The CCF Kids program is in its last 2 weeks before the summer break.  And while Keli and the kids take care of that, I will be heading south into Upper Egypt for a much overdue trip to visit the churches there--though many are concerned that this could be the worst time for such a trip, it's been two years of delays for a "good time"!  We really want to have the opportunity to better contextualize the ministry needs and situations for these pastors and congregations in some of the most difficult areas of this country.  So, national leaders are joining me in a courageous 60-hour expedition--you can join us in prayer for that excursion that we all end up home safely before any election events take off.

#PrayForEgypt
Thank you for your continuing thoughts, prayers, concern, and support of the work here and throughout the region.