Egypt’s president has dismissed corruption allegations made by a businessman-in-exile against the country’s military as “sheer lies and defamation.”
In viral social media videos posted over the past week, the entrepreneur alleged large-scale misuse of public funds in the building of luxurious hotels, presidential palaces and a tomb for President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi’s mother, who died in 2014.
“I’ve built presidential palaces and I will continue to do so,” el-Sissi, a general-turned-president, said in televised comments. “I am building a new country. … All of this is not mine. It’s Egypt’s.”
El-Sissi was responding to claims by contractor Mohammed Ali, who said he had worked for the military for 15 years.
The president said his government has been building some of the biggest art and culture projects in the world in the country’s $45 billion new administrative capital — el-Sissi’s brainchild located in the desert east of the capital of Cairo.
He denied corruption allegations as “sheer lies and defamation,” without elaborating.
He portrayed Ali’s videos as an attempt to weaken Egypt and undermine the public’s trust and confidence in the military and its leader.
“The military is a patriotic, honest and firm military. Its firmness stems from its honor,” he said angrily.
Appearing to fight back tears, el-Sissi said he risked his life when, as defense minister, he led the military’s overthrow of an elected but divisive Islamist president in 2013 amid mass protests against his brief rule.
Ali said he recorded his video statements in Spain over the past week.
Hashtags with his name have been trending for days as he addressed millions of Egyptians using his cellphone while sitting in a closed office in an unknown location in European exile.
Ali claimed he left Egypt while the military owes him 220 million Egyptian pounds, or $13 million, for services he provided. He did not provide evidence to support his claims.
While it’s nearly impossible to verify Ali’s claims without an independent investigation, his company’s official website says the firm is involved in joint projects worth millions of dollars with the Egyptian army.
El-Sissi, who became president in 2014, said the military has overseen road projects costing 175 billion pounds, or just over $1 billion, and that his government has carried out projects worth more than $245 billion. He said he would inaugurate 14 new cities next year.
Critics say the costs of such projects like the Suez Canal expansion and the new capital would have been better spent on rebuilding the wrecked economy and improving health and education.
The launch of costly projects with little debate, at a time when Egyptians are struggling amid skyrocketing prices, is seen by critics as evidence of el-Sissi’s authoritarianism.
