Former Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, a former air force pilot and ex-presidential candidate, told Reuters on Wednesday he intended to run in the presidential election early next year, saying he would return to Egypt in the “coming days”. In a video declaration sent to Reuters and a telephone statement, Shafiq said he would run in the election planned for around April, when President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is widely expected to seek a second term. Shafiq would be one of the few candidates who have announced their intentions for 2018. He lost against Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in the first election after Egypt’s 2011 uprising against former leader Hosni Mubarak. Shafiq had faced various corruption charges but was either acquitted or had cases against him dropped in most instances.

Source: Egypt Independent November 29, 2017 14:26 UTC