POLITICS

Huge turnout of Egyptian expats to vote in presidential poll

Reuters Images/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
Reuters Images/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
Reuters Images/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
Voting will take place in Egypt over three days from March 26-28
PHOTO

Jeddah — Egyptian expats in Jeddah turned out in hundreds to vote in presidential election on the second of the voting on Saturday, nine days before polls open at home.

The Kingdom houses more than 3.08 million Egyptians that constitute 45 percent of total number of expatriate voters living abroad.

The voting process is being held by National Electoral Commission (NEC).

Dr. Hazem H. Ramadan, Egyptian consul general and president of the election committee in Jeddah, told Saudi Gazette that the turnout was huge, much more than previous voting.

He expected more voters as one more day of voting is left.

Praising community volunteers, he said volunteers played active role in polling and providing free transportation from faraway places.

“It was a pleasure to see Egyptians in the Kingdom showing up to do their national duty,” he added.

Enthusiastic Egyptian expatriates began lining up since early morning at the polling station located in the Egyptian Consulate in Rawda district.

Interestingly an overwhelming number of women came out to cast their votes. Some of them arrived from far-flung places like Tabuk and Kahmis Mushait. Some even arrived in Ihram (the two-piece white cloth donned to perform Umrah or Haj).

The consul general helped by other officials and many volunteers was assisting voters whenever there was any delay.

Some 24 committees were formed by community volunteers to help in the voting process.

Many Egyptians, who spoke to Saudi Gazette, expressed joy in participating in the voting process.

A majority of them said that President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was their candidate of choice.

Eman El-Sheite, a housewife, said Egypt needs President Sisi for more time. Her sentiments were echoed by Hamed Nabil, a youth who came from Abha to vote. Wael Bakri, a farmer who came from Makkah said that he needs Sisi.

With El-Sisi expected to win a second term by an overwhelming margin, the only speculation among analysts is about how many of the 59 million eligible voters take part in the election.

El-Sisi garnered 23,780,104 votes in the 2014 presidential election, capturing nearly 97 percent of the vote with a turnout rate of 47.5 percent.

Voting will take place in Egypt over three days from March 26-28.

 

© Copyright 2018 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).

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