By Muhajir
It seems that we entered the phase of electoral propaganda before the election law is drawn up.
As you see, there are many political figures who are marketing themselves to the Libyan people to earn their votes in the coming election which they think is inevitable. Perhaps the most prominent figures in the political horizon are the following:
1- Ali Zaidan: ‘Is that a lot!’ referring to being the Libyan President or Prime Minister
The former Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zaidan, after being kidnapped for few days, has been released by the armed group that kidnapped him.
Zaidan was sworn in as the prime minister of Libya’s transitional government in November 2012. In March 2014, Zaidan was dismissed when Libya’s General National Congress (GNC) passed a non-confidence motion against him after he had failed to resolve an oil export crisis.
Zaidan was once kidnapped and detained for a few hours in Tripoli when he was in office by an armed group.
Former Prime Minister Ali Zaidan asked about the validity of the reports that his visit to Tripoli comes in the context of his bid to run for president, or the prime minister in the forthcoming election(s).
He replied by saying «Is this a lot!», pointing out that «When I saw the performance of the current officials of the country, It makes it my duty to submit to these duties», but he added: «If I asked the people of Fezzan to seek any position, and if the Libyans wanted me to run, I will not hesitate to do so, although it is not tempting. “
Source: Facebook
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2- Aref Nayed: ‘I will Revive Libya .. to be stable, democratic and prosperous country’
The prominent Libyan political figure and former ambassador to the UAE Aref Nayed has launched a new movement to transform Libya. Named as Ihya Libya (“Reviving Libya”), its aim, he says, is to create a stable, democratic and prosperous country.
Libya needs a new way forward, a statement from Nayed says. “After years of suffering, a difficult struggle, and many lives lost, we must now address the security, economic, human development, and governance challenges our nation faces”.
The immediate objective of the movement is to concentrate on key reforms and developments needed over the next six years. These comprise what Ihya Libya calls four “pillars”: (1) peace, security and the rule of law; (2) economic development; (3) human development; and (4) governance and public sector reform.
Ihya Libya had already identified a hundred changes required by 2023 but these needed to be refined into practical policies.
“We must now begin the process of refining these transformation projects to turn them into implementable programmes that will bring Ihya Libya Vision 2023 into reality,” Nayed says, suggesting that it would require a new government to do this.
“To be successful, initial efforts of the next government must be directed at stabilisation and reconstruction through national and local dialogue and reconciliation in parallel with pursuing priority economic, human development and public sector reforms.”
Ihya Libya Vision 2023 says that Libyans are not willing to wait another 20 or 30 years for the changes needed in the country . “Libyans want positive transformation now.” But for the moment, “security and the rule of law is lacking. Right now, economic performance is substandard. Right now, institutions that promote human development are weak. Right now, poor governance is compromising the rapidity and effectiveness of reforms.”
It highlights key problems requiring change: (a) government entities dominate the economy with low private sector involvement; (b) high dependence on the hydrocarbon sector resulting in fiscal uncertainty; and (c) Poor and decaying infrastructure which limits economic growth.
The movement says that it intends to provide answers and build public support for them within five years.
The first phase, over the next two years, will focus on stabilisation and reconstruction through national and local dialogue and reconciliation.
The second phase, from 2020 to 2023, will then focus on sustainable growth. This will be done through private sector development, large-scale infrastructure programmes “and structural reforms to ensure an accountable, merit-based, performance-oriented public sector”.
Ihya Libya says it has already carried out “extensive consultations” throughout the country as well as in the Libyan diaspora abroad with civil society organisations, community leaders, business figures and entrepreneurs, academics and students, professional groups, women and youth associations and the media.
The next step is to create and publish a strategy for the first phase, in consultation with these groups.
Calling on Libyans to support the movement, Nayed expressed the hope that it would be at the centre of national dialogue and that future governments would accept its proposals.
Source: Libya Herald
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3- Basit Igtet:’I will Libya Great Again’
The Libyan Zurich-based entrepreneur, Basit Igtet, has called on the Libyan people to march in the Martyr Square on September 25 to support what he called the new “liberation” of people’s suffering from the current oppression and starvation policies of the governments in Libya.
Igtet, a Benghazi local who is living in Switzerland, where he built a business name in many sectors, said in his third statement to the Libyan people, especially the Tripoli residents, that he has a plan to get the Libyans out of their misery caused by whom he described as the politicians who destroyed Libya.
“Go out on September 25, I will be there, foreign and international media will be there to document you, the whole world will watch, the most western powerful countries will be there to secure you and above all the US government will be there to ensure you are not hurt.” Igtet told Libyans in the capital via his Facebook video statement on Sunday.
He also lashed out at the current UN-backed government of Fayez Al-Sirraj and that of the eastern region, saying that he won’t come to Libya on board an Italian frigate or a UAE plane, but he will be there because he knows Libyans’ suffering and wants to build a free and prosperous country.
Igtit is known for a successful career in business around the world.
Social media was awash with supportive and rejecting comments on his statement, with some saying he is the right one for being a president or prime minister for Libya and others saying that he is going to come aboard a US plane or frigate, so what difference it makes, according to social media comments.
Source: Libya Express
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