Written by Ingy Ashraf,
1- There are a few days till the elections run, do you think that the election is settled to president El Sisi?
(Khaled Dawoud to Al-Mawq3, the entire state works on behalf president Sisi, he’s acting president, he’s been the president for 9 years)
There’s no question he’s like the candidate with the biggest chances with the biggest chances to be re-elected for a third term at the end of the day the entire state works on behalf president Sisi, he’s acting president, he’s been the president for 9 years
2- Who’s the main competitor to El Sisi?
Khaled Dawoud to Al-Mawq3, practically speaking within the four candidates the only opposition candidate running against Mr Sisi is Farid Zahran
3- You’re supporting Farid Zahran right?
(Khaled Dawoud to Al-Mawq3, I support Farid Zahran, the problems that faced Mr Tantawy as a possible candidate shed many doubts)
I’m a member of the Egyptian social democratic party, I support Farid Zahran although i was really hoping and wishing that the elections would have been more open into competition the problems that faced Mr Tantawy as a possible candidate shed many doubts on the credibility of the upcoming elections.
4- What’s your opinion about the achievements of president El Sisi in the last year?
Khaled Dawoud to Al-Mawq3, Restoring sense of security among Egyptians is a very important achievement I think and rebuilding egypt’s external relations with important countries is also another important achievement that Mr Sisi Worked on.
5- What are your predictions on the economy of egypt in the future?
(Khaled Dawoud to Al-Mawq3, President El Sisi’s economic policies are practically not different from the ones that we have had before under president Mubarak)
Well we are in a very difficult situation unfortunately president Sisi didn’t listen to many of the advices like criticism that his economic policies are practically not different from the ones that we have had before under president Mubarak, I hope that there are some lessons learned, we are now seeing a tendency among the government it self to cut down expenses not to start any new mega projects and also at the same time to try to depend local industries.
6- How do you see the support of the media to the government?
(Khaled Dawoud to Al-Mawq3, you can’t prevent the flow information and only gain bad reputation as country that puts journalists in jail)
The united company now is basically has a monopoly not just tv production but also the media like drama production, movies production and the same applies to the private newspapers right now we have a very few number of private newspapers such as masry al youm and shourk.
But then you know at this age and time even if you block the news websites like they block mada masr for example they resort to the social media and people can still read the content, you can’t prevent the flow information and only gain bad reputation as country that puts journalists in jail, as the country that blocks news websites including like human rights websites, Amnesty International, human rights watch, AlJazeera I mean despite the improvement in the relations between egypt and qatar remain to be officially blocked if you try to type their address it won’t open.
7- What do you think the future holds for the political environment in egypt?
(Khaled Dawoud to Al-Mawq3, I wish that president Sisi in particular because he’s the one who holds all the powers, would kind of appreciate that egyptians need to open more in the political space)
I wish that the government here and president Sisi in particular because he’s the one who holds all the powers, would kind of appreciate that egyptians need to open more in the political space and i guess judging by my participation in the national dialogue the messagewe got from the government and they representatives was that after president Sisi took office in 2014 conditions weren’t right to open up the political system they always tell us that there was the threat of terrorism there was a threat of economic collapse and there was you know all the dangers facing egypt on the regional level say libya, sudan, palestine whatever I mean around us close to us is like kind of a volatile situation so they said that’s why they needed to delay political reforms, I don’t believe in that because political reforms don’t go against the standing up as a united front while dealing with those problems but that’s what they officially said, they tell us that yes maybe we didn’t give priority to political reforms but now it’s time to open up a little bit.
8- What do want to say to the next president, that will be elected?
(Khaled Dawoud to Al-Mawq3, I wish to see more people coming out of prison)
You’re asking me to send a message to president Sisi you know it’s not like a surprise it’s same message that i just said before that i wish that we change course
That we respect the rights of Egyptians that we apply the constitution we need to have a different election law you know that at least changes the election system I wish to see more people coming out of prison
9- Do you think that the recent splitting in the civil movement and I’m here talking about “Al Adl” party and “the Egyptian Democratic” party suspension of membership that will have an impact on the future of the Civil movement?
(Khaled Dawoud to Al-Mawq3, I hope not, the kind of led to debate in the civil democratic movement was over the issue of Tantawy)
I hope not and as i said I think actually the key line of division that kind of led to debate in the civil democratic movement was over the issue of Tantawy, what parties disagreed on was the credibility and the integrity of the upcoming elections that’s where people differed.
10- Are these 2 parties are going to align again after the elections?
Khaled Dawoud to Al-Mawq3, they said they suspended their membership they didn’t say they are pulling out from the civil democratic movement.
11- Do you think that the government has lost the authority over the nile river?
(Khaled Dawoud to Al-Mawq3, It is a very difficult situation i think egypt still has some room for maneuvering)
It is a very difficult situation i think egypt still has some room for maneuvering but personally i believe that any military rhetoric about dealing with the Grand Renaissance Dam, maybe we can still negotiate with the Ethiopians keeping and preserving our rights in the river nile water and then look for other ways Egypt has a lot that can offer to Ethiopia in terms of electricity generation and in terms of development projects we can work on that and you know become more cooperative rather than confrontation
12- What is your opinion about the role of the government and president El Sisi over the Palestinian issue since October 7th specifically on the refusal of the government to the agenda of displacing people from Gaza to Sinai?
(Khaled Dawoud to Al-Mawq3, I think this is one stand which Mr Sisi took in a manner that satisfied many Egyptian)
I think this is one stand which Mr Sisi took in a manner that satisfied many Egyptian because when we were talking about presidential elections, you know the firm stand that he announced that this is a matter of a red line of Egypt’s National Security because allowing the deportations of the Palestinians would be as he said in his own words liquidating the Palestinian issue.
13- Do you think that there will be a permanent ceasefire anytime soon?
(Khaled Dawoud to Al-Mawq3, permanent solution for this conflict is the creation of an independent Palestinian state)
There must be I mean there’s no war that will last forever beyond the immediate ceasefire although it’s very much required to save human lives but it goes towards what we call finding a permanent solution for this conflict and a permanent solution for this conflict is the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
