Egyptian ex-generals mull launching political parties

Campaigners for two retired Egyptian army generals say they are both thinking about establishing political parties as Egypt braces for presidential elections in which former army chief Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi is the frontrunner.

Gen. Murad Muwafi, former General Intelligence chief, is preparing to establish a political party that would become al-Sisi's "political quarterback" should the latter win the May 26-27 presidential polls, according to a source close to the former spy chief.

On Thursday, Muwafi spokesman Samuel al-Ashai announced that members of the retired general's popular campaign had met with a number of activists and political groups to discuss potential electoral alliances.

To be led by Muwafi, the electoral alliance plans to contest upcoming parliamentary polls – slated for some time later this year – according to al-Ashai.

Muwafi held key positions in the military before becoming head of Egypt's General Intelligence apparatus during the popular uprising that unseated longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak in early 2011.

The general was removed from that position in August of 2012 by then-president Mohamed Morsi, who was himself ousted by the military – led by al-Sisi – last July.

Muwafi's supporters had called on him to run in the upcoming presidential elections, but he ultimately declined to apply for candidacy.

Meanwhile, former army chief-of-staff Sami Anan is also mulling the establishment of a political party – or joining an existing one – according to a statement this week by his office.

"Members of the Protectors of Egypt Party asked [Anan] to join and lead the party, which he is currently considering," Eman Ahmed, a spokesman for Anan's campaign, told Anadolu Agency, referring to an as-yet-unlicensed party in the process of being established by a group of retired army officials.

Anan had also declared his intention to run for president, but backtracked in March, saying his decision to withdraw from the race was in order to "preserve the unity of the army."

Anan, Mubarak's longtime military second-in-command, was also removed by Morsi in 2012 in a surprise move followed by Sisi's appointment as defense minister, succeeding Mohamed Tantawi.

Meanwhile, two people were killed in clashes on Friday between protesters and police in the Egyptian city of Fayoum, security officials said, in the latest Islamist demonstrations against the military-installed regime.

Supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi have pressed a protest campaign since his overthrow last July, despite an extensive crackdown that has killed more than 1,400 people and imprisoned thousands.

One of the two killed on Friday, a 52-year-old man, was suffocated by tear gas during the clashes in Fayoum province southwest of Cairo.

The other fatality was a woman, but the officials did not say how she died.

Protests are expected to continue as Sisi stands in a late May presidential election he is expected to win, against a sole competitor: leftist candidate Hamdeen Sabahi, who came third in the 2012 polls that propelled Morsi to power.

But Morsi supporters consider Sisi the mastermind of a coup against the country's first freely elected president.

Morsi's overthrow also unleashed a widening militant campaign that has killed about 500 people, mostly members of the security forces.