60,000 rounded up

[Major Thom]

Its getting reported that leading up to the Egyptian Elections more than 60,000 people have been rounded up arrested and beaten by what they are calling an oppressive dictatorship. What a disgrace!! Why on earth do people put up with it? The report also gives an insight into the inside of Egyptian prisons, not fit for pigs to be kept in.
These reports that keep getting leaked will soon place Egypt on its own and isolated.

[Dusak]

It stated on the news this morning that voters yet to vote are being offered 100Le to vote. Lorry loads of free sugar and rice are being distributed all over the place. It also stated the the government has warned non voters that they could face fines of 560Le [$28] each if they did not vote. Freedom of choice is a wonderful thing.

[carrie]

Where is it being reported MT? It would be nice if you could provide further information then those who are interested could look up the reports themselves.
Dusak I know loads or people who haven't voted and had no intention of doing so, none of them have said that it was compulsory or that they would face a fine for not voting.

[newcastle]

There has been the usual comment in foreign media about mass detentions of dissidents in recent years. Nothing new there.

The head of the electoral body apparently announced a fine of 500LE for those who don't vote. A bit late, on election day! Probably of doubtful legality. Compulsory voting is not unknown c.f. Australia.

Elsewhere, one governor offered better water supplies to those who voted. Quite a furore on social media but probably a misinterpretation. I suspect he was saying "vote for Sisi" who's promised water security in the future.

All reported in Al Ahram and elsewhere but, on this ipad, I can't give you the links.

The government is desperate for there to be a high turnout. I imagine sand clearance was a higher priority for many!

If there is a low turnout, the government will be able to blame the sandstorm.

[Major Thom]

It was reported on Sky International Carrie. I did not know it was still illegal not to vote in an election, I thought that reading between the lines the elections were free up the the voter to decide what to do in the new Democratic Egypt. Do they still vote with finger prints? Do they keep a record of every ones finger prints so they know who has and who has not voted? How can they tell who has not voted, or is it a case of pot luck when handing out fines and imprisonment for not voting. All seems a bit airy fairy!!

By your last post Newc. seems like corruption and broken promises are rife. But that's Egypt all over.

[Dusak]

It was reported on Sky International Carrie. I did not know it was still illegal not to vote in an election, I thought that reading between the lines the elections were free up the the voter to decide what to do in the new Democratic Egypt. Do they still vote with finger prints? Do they keep a record of every ones finger prints so they know who has and who has not voted? How can they tell who has not voted, or is it a case of pot luck when handing out fines and imprisonment for not voting. All seems a bit airy fairy!!

By your last post Newc. seems like corruption and broken promises are rife. But that's Egypt all over.

As soon as a person reaches ID age, 18, they are then placed on the electoral register that has their name, family name, address, photograph and personal ID number which they have until death, card has to be renewed every seven years. So all those that vote in any particular area are ticked off as they are given their voting paper. At the end of the elections, all those that have not voted are quite easily found by looking at the lists. If a person is late by just one day in obtaining their first ID card, then they are fined 150Le, as has just happened to my friends niece. The taking of the fingerprint is standard practice, covers those that are unable to write their own names and supposedly to stop multi entry of voting papers, as if that would happen here. When a person gets their first ID card their fingerprint is taken and put on the verification system.

[newcastle]

Without an ID you're a non-person in Egypt and being unable to vote is the least of your problems.

Voting is compulsory, with a fine for non-compliance. In practice they don't enforce the law.

Looks like I was spot on with my prediction of a 40% turnout, but a tad optimistic about Sisi's popularity. He only garnered 92%.

His sole opponent, Mickey Mousa, did surprisingly well.

I don't think there's been an official announcement yet so there's still time to locate those missing 5 million Sisi votes that seem to have been mislaid.

[Major Thom]

Fancy winning the Election with over 90% of the vote!! Cannot think of another President who has done this except Robert Mugabe. Really says something!!

[Dusak]

Without an ID you're a non-person in Egypt and being unable to vote is the least of your problems.

Voting is compulsory, with a fine for non-compliance. In practice they don't enforce the law.

Looks like I was spot on with my prediction of a 40% turnout, but a tad optimistic about Sisi's popularity. He only garnered 92%.

His sole opponent, Mickey Mousa, did surprisingly well.

I don't think there's been an official announcement yet so there's still time to locate those missing 5 million Sisi votes that seem to have been mislaid.

As an Egyptian political strategist stated on the news this morning, ''So they say there was a 37% turnout, so show me one man able to prove that percentage is correct. I think that it was much lower.'' He can say this as he now lives in London. Its like asking just who did really put a parting in President John F Kennedy's head, we will never know.

[newcastle]

Difficult to motivate the electorate when the choice is between Me and Mini-me.

Sisiphiles will be crowing that at least he garnered more votes than Morsi in 2012.

Enjoy.

[Major Thom]

That's a stack of money for the Government if it charges 500le fine for not voting!!! The average Egyptian would not understand 90% for the President and a 40% turnout, they would not be able to work it out that his popularity has plummeted.

[Hafiz]

BBC, DW al Jazeera all report similar. Few young people voting and mainly older turning up.

The weakness of this 'view' is that its Cairo based and generally middle class or better suburbs - journalists nowadays all have physical disabilities - missing both legs - which prevents much walking/travel. No reports were of poorer areas.

Some other interesting anecdotes. People were frightened by the threat of a fine - particularly poor people. Mullah's preached, more screamed and demanded, that people vote. Vans in the street with loud speakers squawked to vote/Sisi and threatened fines. People voting were very subdued and not happy.

No one had any reliable views on turn out in regional cities or rural areas. I'm not aware of any data, even 'official' date giving a regional city/country breakdown. Wonder why? I imagine they don't want to know/don't want Egyptians to know.

Some speculated that doing an informal vote/fouling the vote might have been more widespread but that there was little actual privacy in the voting booths.

Presiding judges and staff were often absent on private business and some were asleep. I assume they still took their pay. Technology was primitive which is odd because the President has recently proclaimed/directed Egypt will be a world IT leader - in 2 years. Maybe he should start at home - the local internet speed for example.

I think ts likely the turnout was exaggerated, boxes stuffed and, in rural areas, voters intimidated/encouraged to vote in a certain way. If true the result for Sisi is a poor one and his enemies in the military, many. may look for him to leave in a year or two. He will look to do a Mugabe to protect himself - President for holy eternity.

The dozen or so 'internationally famous independent vote supervisors' have said nothing. Maybe they are waiting to be 'paid' first. Maybe they are deaf mutes? Maybe they don't actually exist?

He has only promised to deliver on two things - terrorism and jobs - and has failed on both. Egyptians may be prepared to accept a dictator/Junta but only if they deliver basic needs. Meanwhile the 2011 cry for "bread, freedom and dignity' still seems far away and many forget the 1977 riots over food which got very close to toppling Mubarak. The stats agency CAPMASS says the economy is recovering but I have difficulty believing anything their Major General (no stats quals) chief executive has to say.

An aside - poor childhood diet will negatively effect - eg low IQ- the child. But of course that's not a problem for the Egyptian middle class or for the military. The IQ in North Korea (close friend of the Egyptian Army and Sawiris family) is negatively affected by several generations of poor diet/starvation for children - but their leader and his million apparatchiks are fat.

[Major Thom]

Another good post Hafiz, I don't think Egypt makes stats out, only based on what they feel I think.

[carrie]

Well no one near me was intimidated into voting only one person I know voted.

[Major Thom]

Yet I was talking to my ex taxi driver last night via Facetime and he was saying a lot of people did not vote at the Presidential Election because as he put it, "The change that was promised did not come, all we got in 4 years were high prices and even more corruption than before" He went on to tell me that none of his family voted, and many of his friends and acquaintances voted either. I know it only covers a few people but he said that a lot of people do not like or want what if happening, and if they voted they voted for the other candidate in a protest. He was very unhappy that the same candidate got to be head of the Country again. You don't know what to think, but I am just pleased we got away. We spent yesterday evening watching the planes fly into Paphos, at one point there were 3 in a line. We were told it was going to be busy this year, but by what we have seen over the UK Easter and this week it will become a bumper year. The business's must know this too because many have expanded over the Winter months, and more and more business's are putting on evening entertainment. Tonight we are going to a Motown Feast of entertainment.