Former army chief to run for president in Egypt

Former Egyptian army chief of staff, General Sami Anan is to run in the forthcoming presidential elections, his party said on Thursday.

“The party leaders took a decision for General Sami Anan’s candidacy and informed him of the decision and there was no problem at all and no objection,“ from him, said Sami Balah, the secretary general of the Arabism Egypt Party.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is expected to seek a second term, but is yet to announce his candidacy.

Former prime minister Ahmed Shafik, who had declared his intentions to contest, has since reconsidered, posting on his Twitter account that ‘I have decided not to run in the upcoming 2018 presidential elections’.

The other candidates interested in the country’s top job are Khaled Ali, a prominent lawyer and Colonel Ahmed Konsowa. Since their presidential bid announcements, both aspirants have been ‘slapped’ with charges that are seen to be politically motivated.

The electoral commission announced this week that the presidential election shall be held on March 26-28, with the winner expected to be announced on April 2, and in the event of a run-off, on May 1.