Could Egyptian tribes tip electoral balance in upcoming election?
Several tribes in Egypt announced their support for presidential candidate Moussa Mostafa Moussa, who is facing off against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in the upcoming presidential election.
CAIRO — On Feb. 24, a number of tribes in the National Council for Arab Tribes announced their support for El Ghad Party head Moussa Mustafa Moussa, who is running against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in the upcoming election. The declaration was made during an El Ghad Party meeting at its headquarters in Cairo in which members of the National Council for Arab Tribes attended.
Meanwhile, Moussa’s campaign revealed on Feb. 24 some aspects of his electoral campaign under the slogan “Building a Better Egypt.”
In appreciation of the tribes’ national role in supporting Egypt and protecting its borders, Moussa suggested re-evaluating their lands and improving their situation by providing services and better prices. Many tribes assume monitoring and reconnaissance tasks on the field, especially in the border areas; others provide immediate information to the security authorities.
The exact number of tribes in Egypt is unknown. Some sources estimate that their number is greater than 100 and that around 17 million Egyptians belong to those tribes. They are mainly concentrated in border provinces such as the Sinai Peninsula, Aswan and Matrouh.
