It seems natural for Egypt's ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) to resort to a series of measures aimed at improving its image with people before the important parliamentary elections scheduled after the coming Holy Month of Ramadan. One can thus understand the statements made by prominent figures in the NDP about combating corruption and confronting the corrupt. Moreover, it is not unlikely for the coming period, up until the start of candidacy applications for the elections, to witness the revelation of certain facts connected to corruption. It is also natural for citizens in Egypt to wish for a war devoid of leniency against corruption, especially after some analyses have gone as far as to say that it has become a culture that is nearly prevalent and does not stop at the practices of a few influential, powerful or wealthy individuals. Some Egyptian media outlets sill discuss the expression used by MP Doctor Zakaria Azmi, who is also Chief of Presidential Staff, in one session of the People's Assembly when he considered that corruption in the local sector in Egypt had reached “up to the knees”, a common Egyptian expression usually applied to negative qualities when they are prevalent. Yet those same media outlets do not tire of asserting that Azmi's expression was introduced years ago and corruption has now perhaps reached the neck, while some people go as far as saying that ordinary and poor people are now perhaps drowning in a sea of corruption. On the whole, ordinary citizens would profit from a war against corruption, as stolen funds would return to the state treasury or at least the looting would stop. Citizens would also be able to obtain their rights without distinctions being made between them. Yet more important than all of this is for the rights of citizens not to be the opportunity for what is referred to as “electoral bribes”, i.e. the privileges offered to voters in order to win over their votes before every elections. Egyptians know that sometimes these “bribes” involve unlawful practices, such as supplying electricity, water or other services to dwellings that are in violation of the law, for instance. Regarding corruption, combating it, warding it off and confronting it are matters that should turn into a culture, regardless of the plans of the National Party and its government in the field of growth, which may succeed or fail, as it should not be possible in the first place to speak of whether the NDP is combating corruption at one time or overlooking it at another, as this in itself is a form of corruption. It is true that former ministers or governors have left their posts, and that officials in important sectors have been put on trial in cases connected to corruption. Yet it is also true that those people's cases were put forward after they had left their posts and lost their influence and power. And Egyptians wonder why these people were not put on trial when they still held their important positions. Noteworthy is the fact that other cases which the Egyptian media is addressing now are connected to corruption, and find no answer from the government or any state official until the debate around them has become heated. Responses then usually involve accusations against the media of having fabricated the matter, promoted it without any evidence and sought to defame “honorable” people. Such responses ignore the fact that media outlets do not want to appear before their public of readers, listeners or viewers as if they are lying. Indeed, if officials made sure to respond quickly and with facts every time a case of corruption is brought up, the publishing of information about fictional cases would stop. At the same time, no party in power could possibly imagine that people do not have the brains to judge and to realize whether there is the desire to cover up a case… or to expose it.
