In the run-up to Egyptian presidential polls (March 26-28), all would-be challengers to incumbent President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi -- except one -- appear to have been effectively sidelined.
Ahmed Shafik
Former President Hosni Mubarak’s last prime minister, Ahmed Shafik announced his intention to contest the election late last year from Abu Dhabi.
Once he returned to Egypt, however, he was detained at the airport by Egyptian authorities.
After being held incommunicado for two days, Shafik told an Egyptian television channel that he had decided to “review” his decision to contest the polls.
In January, the Mubarak-era PM issued a statement in which he ruled out any intention to vie for top office.
Khalid Ali
After Shafik was effectively marginalized, all eyes turned to 45-year-old leftist Khalid Ali.
A minor candidate in Egypt’s 2012 presidential election, Ali later made a name for himself through his vocal opposition to last year’s transfer of two Red Sea islands -- which had once belonged to Egypt -- to Saudi Arabia.
Although several political groups declared their support for Ali, including Egypt’s prominent April 6 youth group, he abruptly announced on Jan. 25 that he would not take part in the upcoming election.
Sami Anan
Sami Hafez Anan, a well-known former army chief-of-staff, also initially announced plans to run for the presidency.
But only three days after announcing his candidacy in late January, Anan was taken into custody by the Egyptian authorities.
He has continued to languish in a military prison until now.
Hisham Geneina
A former anti-graft czar and longtime champion of judicial independence, Hisham Geneina also hinted at a possible run for the presidency.
His presidential bid was derailed in late January, however, when he was stabbed in the leg by two attackers, both of whom were quickly released by the authorities.
On Feb. 11, Geneina said he had documents showing widespread corruption among top Egyptian officialdom. Two days later, he was taken into custody by Egyptian security forces.
Abdel-Moneim Aboul-Fotouh
The leader of the Strong Egypt Party and a former member of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, Abdel-Moneim Aboul-Fotouh was detained by authorities on Feb. 14.
Although he had not planned to vie for the presidency, Aboul-Fotouh had visited London only a few days earlier, where -- in an interview with Al Jazeera -- he had roundly criticized the incumbent president.
Musa Mustafa Musa
Al-Sisi’s lone challenger in the upcoming race, therefore, will be Musa Mustafa Musa, the leader of Egypt’s Al-Ghad Party, who registered his candidacy at the last minute.
A known supporter of the current president and a political lightweight, Musa was recently quoted as saying: “If I lose the election, I’ll still support al-Sisi.”
Given the apparent lack of any viable challengers, most Egyptian political observers say that al-Sisi is almost certain to secure a second term in office.