MB Bloc Nominates Katatni For PA Speaker Post

Sunday, November 5,2006 00:00

By Ikhwanweb

After heated debate between its members, the Muslim Brotherhood Parliamentary Bloc in the Egyptian People’s Assembly (PA) has named its Chairman Dr. Mohammed Saad el Katatni to be its candidate for the post of the Parliament Speaker and run against Dr. Ahmed Fatehi Sorour the incumbent Speaker, a NDP member

The Bloc also named Deputy Chairman of the Bloc Hussein Mohammed Ibrahim and Spokesman of the Bloc Dr. Mohammed el Beltagi, to stand for the Speaker’s undersecretaries.

The Bloc sought to coordinate with Dr. Gamal Zahran, independent,to stand for undersecretary but he opted to run for the Speaker post.

Spokesman of the Bloc Dr. Hamdy Hassan said that these nominations are an attempt to consolidate democracy in the parliamentary life, a step which cannot materialize without ridding the parliament of the ruling party’s monopoly of the parliament activities and decisions.

Hassan affirmed that the MB deputies are one fifth of the Parliament, which gives them access to all posts as a right enshrined in the law and constitution . On the reasons behind the Bloc’s refusal to vote for Dr. Fatehi Sorour, Hassan said that most MPs rejected to vote for Dr. Sorour since he is the candidate of the ruling National Party which is known for its hostile positions towards the opposition especially the Muslim Brotherhood.

The spokesman of the Bloc denied that fielding Dr. Katatni to run against the incumbent Speaker is a mere maneuver or media hype as some claim. Rather, he assured, the MB Bloc has decided to run for all the posts within the parliament whatever the result may be and whatever means used by the ruling National Party to favor its candidates.

On the reaction of other opposition figures and parties in the parliament, Deputy Chairman of the Bloc Hussein Mohammed Ibrahim said that the Bloc hopes for gaining their votes” and we also know that many members belonging to the National Party have promised to give us their votes especially that the voting will be a secret”, he said, affirming that the Bloc’s ultimate target is to see the Parliament play its supposed role in the Egyptian political life and its committees are reactivated to properly exercise its parliamentary and control authority.