Mohamed Saad al-Katatny, chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, warned on Thursday that former members of the disbanded National Democratic Party (NDP) may infiltrate interim local councils, which the government plans to appoint soon. Such a development, he said, would see ex-members of the former ruling party re-established in the political system.
On Wednesday, the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) issued a decree ordering the formation of temporary local councils nation-wide.
In July, the government decided to dissolve local councils as stipulated by a judicial ruling issued in June, which said that 98 percent of local councils were dominated by former President Hosni Mubarak's National Democratic Party. The councils are meant to oversee local budgets and provide services but are implicated in widespread corruption.
In statements published on the Freedom and Justice Party's website, Katatny said the new boards have to be appointed based on consultation with political powers and nationalist groups so as to block NDP figures from returning to power. He stressed that all political powers will fight against the appointment of corrupt officials to local councils.
Eliminating NDP officials from state bodies has been a key demand of political parties and revolutionary groups since the January uprising.
