Egypt in the past 10 days (Vol.2)

I could not update or write anything on the blog for ten days or something because whenever I started on something, another huge thing happened that needed attention.

At the same time, I battled some cold or the flu or that variant and it already weakened me as I realized firsthand how due to the economic crisis, the effective material in Egyptian medicines “once a top product of Egypt highly demanded in the Arab world” was reduced due to importation woes.

In fact, I do not know if they are ten days or more, but I know I was starting an attempt to do something about Egypt’s victims in Libya’s Derna Deluge tragedy. If my calculations are right, we have the biggest human loss for Egyptian expats across the borders.

Nevertheless, nobody is ready to speak about it or hear it.

Busy ten days 

I hate to say it, but I am trying to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the October War but the shadow of what is happening whether the elections circus or rather that battle of proxies on one side and the economic developments in the past 48 hours from another side do not give me a chance.

Needless to say, I feel that this is the quietest anniversary Egypt has seen so far despite all knowing that there are huge preparations for big celebrations involving air shows and so on because it is the jubilee. Maybe the airshows will be held on the Egyptians Air Forces Day.

Now here is a terrible summary of what is happening in Egypt and outside and you tell me how I can deal with all that.

The Menendez Halal’s bribe allegations

On 22 September, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams and the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation “FBI” James Smith unsealed the indictment charging US Senator Robert Menendez, his wife Nadine Arslanian Menendez and three other men including Egyptian-American Wael Hana aka Will Hana with federal bribery charges.

Senator Bob Menedez and his wife Nadine 

“The Indictment alleges that MENENDEZ and his wife, NADINE MENENDEZ, accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes from HANA and the other two in exchange for MENENDEZ’s agreement to use his official position to protect and enrich them and to benefit the Government of Egypt.” Read the official statement issued by the US Justice Department.

In case you do not know, Veteran Democratic Senator Bob Menendez was the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The allegations against Menendez include accepting cash, gold bars, payments toward a home mortgage, compensation for a low-or-no-show job, and a luxury vehicle from the businessmen.

He is also accused of Using his influence to try to sway the president's choice of the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey to benefit one of the business associates.

Menedez allegedly pressured the Department of Agriculture to protect a business monopoly another contact had from Egypt according to the indictment. That business monopoly is the Halal Meat Certificate run by none other than Wael Hana and it is said to be the start of this whole investigation.

It is already a true puzzle how Wael Hana, a Christian with no previous background in butchery ran a monopoly for imported beef’s halal certification. That puzzling question was the starting point for a 2019 December investigation report published by Egypt’s Mada Masr.

On 27 September, U.S. Senator Menendez and his wife pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges of taking bribes from three New Jersey businessmen, as calls for his resignation from fellow Democrats escalated including the top names like AOC and John Fetterman.

As expected the Egyptian mainstream media ignores the whole matter while the independent and regional media are covering it. On social media, some pro-Egyptian administration accounts claim that this is a victory for the administration that it recruited Menendez. The other accounts claim that the veteran US politician supported Egypt and thus is paying the price for that.

Unfortunately, those accounts did not know that in his first presser, to prove that he was not bought by Egypt, Bob Menendez attacked the Egyptian government slamming its human rights record as well as reminding the world that he demanded the release of Egyptian political activists Mahienour El-Masry and Esraa Abdel Fattah.

On 4 October, Senator Ben Cardin who replaced Menendez as the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; placed a hold on $235 million in military aid to Egypt, citing concerns about the Egyptian government's human rights record. Cardin said that he would not lift the hold until he saw "concrete, meaningful, and sustainable steps" from the Egyptian government to improve its human rights record.

Cardin has also criticized the Biden administration's decision to release $235 million in military aid to Egypt in October 2023. Cardin said that the Biden administration should have done more to condition the aid on Egypt's human rights record.

It won’t be the end.

Ahmed Tantawy and the race for presidency

I do not think that Tantawy will spend a penny on advertising and campaigning because his main rival's supporters are doing this perfectly. Nevertheless, Tantawy will be remembered as the man who broke the silence and revived something we all thought was gone.

Ahmed Tantawy 

On September 25, a number of notary offices nationwide were open for eligible voters to present their candidacy nomination proxies to endorse the presidential hopefuls and make them eligible to run.

As a precondition to running for president, the Egyptian constitution requires candidates to secure endorsements from at least 20 members of Parliament from the House of Representatives or 25,000 registered voters from at least 15 governorates, with a minimum of 1,000 endorsements from each governorate.

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi managed to collect the proxies nationwide as well as endorsements from the parliament even before announcing that he was running for a third presidential term in Cairo on October 2.

Other independent candidates specifically Ahmed Tantawy were not that lucky as his supporters say that they could not issue proxies so easily despite the fact that he seems to have a growing popularity according to them.

Despite criticism, the man from Kafr El-Sheikh won the hearts and minds of many middle-class and upper-middle-class Egyptians. TikTok is full of videos of young people supporting him.

On 6^th October, we found out that many Egyptian expatriates in the Gulf, especially in Saudi Arabia, stood in queues to issue proxies to support Tantawy's bid at the Egyptian embassies and consulates.

I have doubts that Tantawy will be able to collect the proxies on time, but I do not have any doubt that this week he turned from a former MP many did not know his name to a politician with supporters.

It remains to be seen whether Tantawy will be able to mount a serious challenge to President El-Sisi, but he has certainly shaken up the Egyptian political landscape. His candidacy has given hope to many Egyptians who are looking for an alternative to the status quo.

Nakhnoukh acquires Falcon

I can’t comprehend this news till now. Infamous Sabry Nakhnoukh aka the king of thugs during Mubarak’s era acquired Egypt’s Falcon Group International, the country’s top security company !!

Nakhnoukh and a friend of the wild
animals he loves to own 

Falcon Group is probably the only private security company allowed to carry shotguns. The company that was established in 2007 is currently responsible for guarding universities above them Cairo University!!

According to Zat Misr, Nakhnoukh acquired Falcon for three million only due to its huge debts !!

I just can’t comprehend it !!

Ismailia Security Directorate’s fire

On 2nd October, a massive fire engulfed the Ismailia Security Directorate building in the Egyptian city of Ismailia. The fire caused extensive damage to the building and injured at least 38 people, most of whom suffered from smoke inhalation and burns.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but authorities have ruled out arson. Some witnesses have reported seeing an electrical explosion in the building shortly before the fire broke out.

Ismailia security directorate when it was on fire. 

Unofficially, and according to videos from inside the directorate itself on TikTok, the fire was a fatal incident in which tens of people died. According to whistleblower Hisham Sabry, "check below," tens and tens of people were killed while in detention.

Independent media outlets Mada Masr and Al-Menassa have reported that at least 13 funerals have been held for the victims of the fire. Despite the funerals, the government has not released any death toll.

Conspiracy theories are running wild concerning that awful incident. As a result, the mainstream media is not interested in covering it professionally.

The European Parliament’s resolution on Hisham Kassem and Ahmed Tantawy

On 3rd October, 11 European Parliament MPs representing the Greens–European Free Alliance presented a motion for a resolution concerning the violations of human rights and democracy in Egypt especially following the sentencing of Egyptian liberal politician and publisher Hisham Kassem.

On 5th October, the resolution was adopted by 379 votes in favour, 30 against and 31 abstentions. The European Parliament, according to the resolution demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Kassem in addition to pretrial detainees.

It also stressed the importance of holding credible, free and fair elections in Egypt and urged authorities to stop the harassment of peaceful opposition figures, including aspiring presidential candidates like former parliamentarian Ahmed El Tantawy.

The resolution was met with widespread anger from the Egyptian parliament and pro-regime parties.

Moody’s Ratings from B to C to the Unknown

On Thursday 5 October, the international financial rating agency Moody's downgraded Egypt's credit rating. This means they've assessed Egypt's ability to handle its debts, like loans and money it owes, and found it's getting worse. Egypt's credit rating went down by one notch, from 'B3' to 'Caa1.'

This adjustment in the rating is significant because it signals that Egypt may face more challenges when it comes to paying back its debts, which can impact its standing in the global financial market. It's a development worth keeping an eye on for those interested in Egypt's economic outlook.

The Moody’s downgrading came hours after the statements of IMF director Kristalina Georgieva asserted in an interview in Bloomberg that Egypt must devalue its currency again otherwise its reserves “will bleed”.

It is not the first time Georgieva has said that, but it shows that the international financial institutions can’t wait till the end of the presidential elections in December for the long-waited devaluation.

The return of whistleblowers and dissidents’ interviews

Again, the YouTube channels are playing a role this time because we can’t find truth in the mainstream media’s failure. There are certain names I see growing in influence, especially Belal Fadl and Hisham Sabry.

Sabry earned huge viewership because of his sources especially since he was an ex-State security officer during the Mubarak era who left the Ministry of Interior and immigrated to the US where he got a PhD in law. He lives in Indiana, and I think he teaches in some university there.

Famous Egyptian journalist, novelist and screenplay writer Belal Fadl does not need any introductions. Fadl is currently in New York.

Veteran TV host Hafez El-Mirazi is back on his YouTube channel presenting a show called “Egypt Votes/boycotts” that discusses the upcoming elections with Egyptian politicians and activists. To Europe, best-selling author Alaa Al-Aswany is currently among the voices that consider the upcoming elections as a charade.

Interestingly we found the news platform “Zat Misr” interviewing a number of figures that usually are not hosted by the mainstream as they are known to slam the current Egyptian administration directly and indirectly. I do not know who funds Zat Misr but there are speculations that it is UAE.

Interestingly Dubai-based CNN Arabic is covering the Egyptian elections race especially the activities of Ahmed Tantawy as well as the tweets of former vice-president Mohamed ElBaradei as he openly criticizes the current Egyptian administration.

Speaking about Gulf countries, I can’t forget that interview of prominent Nasserite journalist and writer Abdullah El-Sanway in Saudi-owned Independent Arabia where he openly criticized the current administration after being one of its main supporters “He is a truly Nasserite”.

Amr Adeeb is not shy in giving indirect punches to the current administration from time to time on Saudi-owned MBC Misr.

Ironically Al-Jazeera channel is somehow shy in its Egypt’s coverage in those ten days compared to Emirati and Saudi media!!