Abu Dhabi: Nearly two years after the overthrow of the country’s former leader Hosni Mubarak, Egyptians in the UAE are to go to the polls on Saturday to determine the nation’s future in a vote on a new constitution.

The referendum comes amid confusion over whether the draft charter, approved by an assembly, will move Egypt toward being a freer and more open society.

Around 61,000 out of more than 300,000 Egyptians living and working in the UAE are registered to cast absentee ballots in Egypt’s embassy in Abu Dhabi and the consulate in Dubai.

It is estimated that more than eight million Egyptians are working and living abroad, but nearly 600,000 are registered voters overseas.

Many Egyptians living in the UAE said they are determined to move on to end protests between opponents and supporters of how the transition has been managed — largely divided along Islamist and secular lines.

Others believe that President Mohammad Mursi’s push for a new constitution is a power grab that echoes Egypt’s past.

Ahmad Moustafa, a UAE resident engineer, said the referendum on the new charter will yield two results — putting an end to protests, as citizens can have their voices heard, while a controversial decree granting Mursi wide powers will be annulled.

“The referendum will allow citizens to approve or reject this constitution and either way will be for the good of Egypt,” he said.

Amal Abdul Kareem, a teacher, echoed the same sentiments and said the 234-article charter protects individuals’ civil rights, particularly how security forces and the justice system treats them.

“It prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention and ensures due process,” she said. “Anyone jailed cannot be interrogated without an attorney present and if detainees don’t have one, the judicial system must appoint one, one article [of the draft constitution] stipulates, and phone conversations, electronic correspondence and other communication cannot be tapped without a warrant.”

Dr Wahid Abdul Maguid, former spokesman of the assembly, said the draft charter was not the best one as promoted by Islamists.

“It is rather the worst in many clauses, which dropped guarantees for equality and non-discrimination among Egyptians based on religion, gender or race.”

Hamdi Qandil, a famous media figure, said the draft constitution cripples freedoms of journalists and made the media a tool in the hands of the ruling regime, as it allows the president of the republic to appoint the national media council on proposals from the Shura Council.

President Mursi on Thursday invited political groups and legal figures to meet for a national dialogue on solutions to Egypt’s political crisis after clashes between his supporters and his opponents left at least seven dead and hundreds wounded.

Mursi did not, however, roll back a decree granting him sweeping powers that his critics had demanded and his overtures on talks were immediately rejected by opposition leaders.

The opposition, led by Mohammad Al Baradei, also demanded that referendum on the new charter be suspended until a consensus is achieved.

The referendum for overseas Egyptians will run until Tuesday, while Egyptian citizens will vote on the constitution on December 15.

The assembly on November 30 approved dozens of amendments as delegates worked through the night to cobble together the draft.