CAIRO, July 30 (RIA Novosti, Igor Kuznetsov) - The Egyptian opposition intends on Saturday to hold a mass protest against current president Hosni Murabak's intention to seek re-election for a new 6-year term. In a statement, the Kifaya (meaning "enough!") movement said that representatives of 14 opposition organizations will gather together on Saturday July 30 on Al Tahrir ("freedom") Square in the city center to protest against the president's intention to run for a fifth term.
Murabak (77), who has been in power since 1981, yesterday said he would run for president at the elections on September 7.
A total of nine parties have declared their intention to put their candidates forward for the post of president, including the incumbent National Democratic Party. Five opposition parties and movements have said they will boycott the elections.
In the Al Ahrar party an unusual situation has occurred in which three different candidates within the party are standing for president - party leader Helmi Salam, former senior party member Mohammad Sakharia, and Talaat Sadat (the nephew of former Egyptian president Anvar Sadat, expelled from the party last year). Mubarak's predecessor Anvar Sadat was shot on October 6 1981 during a military parade in Cairo by Islamic fundamentalists who objected to his signing of a peaceful agreement with Israel (the Camp David Agreement).
Murabak, a trained former military officer, and is known for his autocratic style of leadership.
In September 1999, he won a referendum allowing him to retain the presidential post for a fourth term.
At the time Mubarak was the only candidate. The opposition boycotted the elections, calling on Murabak to hold direct multi-party elections.
The electorate, however, did not observe the boycott. According to official figures, more than 90% of the Egyptian electorate voted for Mubarak, giving him another six years in power.
