Although assumed to be an independent technocrat, Qandil is rumored to be a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. This possibility has left a bitter taste in the mouths of leftists as it shows Morsi may be backing away from his promises of “national unity.”
Qandil has denied allegations of his ties to the group: “I do not belong to the Muslim Brotherhood and have never joined any political party in my life,” he said. A joke amongst Egyptian activists is that his criteria for becoming prime minister was his beard and young age, since the old regime was made up of men above the age of seventy.
One of the questions that is commonly asked is, “Who is this guy? Is he strong enough to get us out of this hole we’re in?” Many are not confident his record will get the Egyptian people where they want to be.
Qandil’s sights are set on the Nile River Basin, an enormous structure that is a matter of national security for Egyptians. He’s also said that he is focused on other tasks that President Morsi has assigned him.
Morsi’s choice of an inexperienced politician has many questioning his exact intentions. One assumption is that due to Qandil’s lack of experience in politics, he will be easily controlled by the Brotherhood. Another assumption is that Morsi wanted someone who would be able to handle issues on water and the economy, both important issues for Egyptians. Or perhaps he was the only guy who was willing to take the job as the new prime minister of Egypt. I cannot imagine how many people rejected the ‘opportunity’ given the circumstances Egypt is stuck in.
On Saturday, Qandil told state media that on Thursday, the new members of his cabinet would be announced. Some of the rumored members consisted of the Muslim Brotherhood, Salafis, and other technocrats. Until then, there’s no telling if Morsi’s talk about national unity is just all talk or not. If Qandil’s cabinet is dominated by Islamists, this will cause for alarm and a realization that the Muslim Brotherhood plans to infiltrate all means of political life in Egypt and will slowly move to the phase of trying to oust the SCAF somehow, unless enough maneuvering room is made.
By Holly Dagres, Aslan Media Columnist
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