Al-Hamdi younger brother makes bid for presidency [Archives:2006/931/Front Page]

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March 23 2006

SANA'A, March 22 ) Engineer Abdurrahman Mohamed Al-Hamdi, younger brother of Yemen's former President Ibrahim Mohamed Al-Hamdi, declared his intention to stand in upcoming presidential elections this September.

“The miserable conditions experienced in the country, including corruption and embezzlement of public property, forced me to make a bid for the presidency,” Al-Wasat weekly quoted Al-Hamdi as saying. “There is nothing more than silence and no will for change, despite deteriorating situations in political, economic and social areas.

“Corruption by the irresponsible authority has helped the rich become richer and the poor poorer, coupled with the absence of social equality,” Al-Hamdi added. “Unwise government policies force citizens to seek protection from the tribe, tending to be fanatic toward their tribes at the expense of the law's status.”

According to Al-Hamdi, ordinary citizens' living standards are going from bad to worse as current officials continue committing persistent errors in an attempt to transform their failure into success and their corruption into commendable achievements.

He attributed his absence from the previous presidential race to the fact that political parties boycotted the poll following the Civil War. However, Al-Hamdi said he stood in 1993 parliamentary elections.

Asked whether his nomination was influenced by being a relative of Ibrahim Al-Hamdi, he replied, “Being a relative of Ibrahim or not has nothing to do with my bid for president, as I receive great support from Yemenis who trust me.” He added that former President Al-Hamdi left behind a good reputation earned during his rule.
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