Cairo: An Egyptian man, running for the legislature in next week’s election, has campaigned while carrying a crocodile, local media reported.
Kamel Khaled, who is vying in Qaliub, north of Cairo, was seen walking among his supporters raising the small reptile with his hands to familiarise himself with local voters. Khaled is running on an electoral emblem of the crocodile. He is vying with 35 others for three seats allocated for the Qaliub constituency in the legislative polls due to be held on November 7-8, Al Masry Al Youm reported.
Contenders for elections in Egypt are traditionally given distinct emblems to help illiterate voters to recognize them. The first round of the two-phase legislative elections was held in 14 of Egypt’s 27 governorates on October 24-25.
The second phase will be conducted in 13 other governorates, including Cairo, on November 7-8 with the run-off vote scheduled for December 7-8.
According to the Egyptian electoral system, 284 contenders should be elected as independents for the Council of Deputies, the lower house of parliament, while 284 others should be elected on the basis of the absolute closed list system whereby the list securing over 50 per cent of the cast ballots becomes the winner.
The head of the state has the constitutional right to appoint 28 more lawmakers, bringing the total number of the assembly’s members to 596.