Now that parliamentary and presidential elections are over, the practice of buying votes and approaching voters through Ramadan charity banquets have all but disappeared, according to some poor Egyptians. Hungry followers of Ramadan this year relied on fewer Iftar– evening meal that breaks the Ramadan fast—banquets organized by the army.
Now that parliamentary and presidential elections are over, the practice of buying votes and approaching voters through Ramadan charity banquets have all but disappeared, according to some poor Egyptians. Hungry followers of Ramadan this year relied on fewer Iftar– evening meal that breaks the Ramadan fast—banquets organized by the army.
“The goodness of the Muslim Brotherhood seems to have ended once they came into power,” said Mr. Hussein, owner of the well-known Mansoura furniture shops, Hassan and Hussein, and a charity banquet host. “The businessmen of the former ruling party have disappeared and I’ve only received (banquet) contract offers from the army.”
In previous years, there were 15 big banquets in Sharq Mansoura quarter alone, most of which were organized by members of the dissolved Democratic National Party (DNP), Hussein said. “The Muslim Brotherhood organized a number of them last year before the elections, but this year both parties have disappeared.”
The army has tried to fill-in the gap, with large charity feasts like the one in front of Mansoura Stadium. “Everyday, a car of the second army brings around 150-170 meals, which are prepared by the armed forces,” said a supervising officer who wishes to remain anonymous. “We started this tradition for the first time last year, but this year we have expanded and we organize banquets in five different places in the city. Each banquet is supervised by an officer, and four soldiers oversee food distribution.”
Slim pickings
Adel Sa’eed, a garbage collector said, “The charity banquets were the only place where we could find meat, which we can’t afford the whole year. My wife and three children have to rely on the ‘Ramadan charity basket,’ which is not even enough for one week. We know where they are distributed and we race to get them. They look down at us as if we were thieves, and kick us out of the waiting line,” he said.
Ahmad Othman, spokesman of the Justice and Freedom Party, denied that the Muslim Brotherhood or his party stopped organizing banquets, pointing to the Iftars organized for orphans in poor villages; however, he refused to mention their exact places, claiming them to be a ‘reward’ that should not be announced.
Renowned businessman Muhammad Rabie also refused to make a statement about it his alleged charity Iftars.
Nevertheless, the generosity of some has not totally disappeared as some well-off people continue organizing small domestic banquets that are unrelated to politics, including the banquet of Hajj Abdulmun’em Ali at the highway to Mansoura.
A well-known fish dealer, Muhammad, said, “Our banquet goes back five years. The cost of each Iftar is L.E. 1,200 (US $196). The banquet accommodates 150 people and I’ve chosen the reward of feeding travelers at the highway. My wife herself cooks the food so as to complete the reward.”
Sa’eed, the garbage collector, said, “The president should consider favorably those with limited income. I only earn L.E 130 US ($21 a month), and my wife has to work as a domestic servant. We can’t afford to feed my children, let alone their education. The Iftar of the Muslim Brotherhood has disappeared; they seem to have exploited us in order to vote for them.”
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