CAIRO, 19 August 2005 — Young Egyptians yesterday had little doubt President Hosni Mubarak, the only leader they have even known, would keep power in their country’s first ever multi-candidate presidential elections.
But they disagreed over whether the country needed a change at the top after 24 years under Mubarak, 77, who came to power after President Anwar Sadat was assassinated in 1981.
Campaigning for Egypt’s first contested presidential election began on Wednesday. Jobs for the burgeoning young population are a key issue, and Mubarak has made tackling youth unemployment one his main campaign themes, promising more than four million new jobs in the next six years.
Most young Egyptians, who make up about 60 percent of the country’s population, agreed that the Sept. 7 vote would not lead to any significant change.
Young Egyptians asked about the elections were divided roughly equally into those seeking reform and those content to see Mubarak win a fifth six-year term.
Outside the private American University in Cairo, where many of the children of Egypt’s businessmen and politicians study, Sherine Abdelsalam, 18, said she wanted Mubarak to step down.
“I’m looking forward to change, but nobody (else) has any experience running this country,” she said outside the university’s main campus in downtown Cairo.
But in front of a state-run university, whose graduates struggle to secure government jobs that pay barely enough for transport costs and food, young people said they would be supporting Mubarak.
“Mubarak is the best one. He’s looked after the country’s economy,” said student Mohammed outside Al-Azhar University, the modern campus of an ancient center of Islamic learning.
The accountancy student held out little hope of finding a job after he graduates, but he said he did not hold Mubarak responsible for his predicament.
Economists say around 600,000 people a year enter the job market in the country of 70 million. The government says unemployment is at about 10 percent but unofficial estimates are about twice that figure.
Many university graduates resort to hawking trinkets on the streets or driving taxis to earn a living.
Some young Egyptians say many will vote for Mubarak out of familiarity and fear of the unknown. “People here are afraid of change and the only name they know is Mubarak,” said Hisham Fathy, a 26-year-old estate agent.
The state-owned media promote Mubarak as a dependable and prudent leader who has developed the country economically and kept it out of conflict for the last quarter of a century.
“I’m used to Mubarak. It’s better to vote for him than someone you don’t know,” said 22-year-old pharmacy student Mohammed Mahmoud.
The life and achievements of Mubarak are well publicized, though many Egyptians remain in the dark about the other candidates, some of whom have complained of official restrictions to their campaigning activities.
Police arrested high profile opposition candidate Ayman Nour of the liberal Ghad (Tomorrow) Party in January on forgery charges, which he says were meant to discredit his campaign.
“To be honest with you, I don’t think these elections are going to make any difference at all,” said Fathy, who thought most people his age would vote for Mubarak.
