| On these historical voting days for Egyptians, Egypt saw a savvy application telling voters when their ballots are less busy, local restaurants giving away free goodies for voters, and a hashtag launched for Tweeps to talk about why their parents are voting for their archenemies |
| By Randa El Tahawy |
| As the country gears up for the second round of voting for the historical presidential elections after the ouster of former President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011, it is safe to say the pas four days were written in history for Egyptians.From the social media spheres buzzing with revolutionary slogans, commentary, reports and debates to family members arguing over their candidates of choices, there was the usual never-ending political discussions. But there were also the local eateries giving away goodies for the voters, and Bey2ollak application reporting on ballot jams instead of traffic — elections days were mix emotions of festivity, anxiety, heated debates and patriotic zeal.#CandidateDomesticFights: My father is voting for my archenemy
On the eve of elections day, prominent blogger Mahmoud Salem (Sandmonkey) launched a Twitter hashtag #CandidateDomesticFights, discussing the political debates and fights occurring between family members over their chosen candidates. Twitter buzzed with youth frustrated with their parents’ choice of candidates, even siblings debating over Hamdeen Sabahi being the ultimate revolutionary candidate or Abd El Moneim Abolfotoh standing a better chance.
Hussein El Said, who goes by the handle @ husseinelsaid, responded, “[All] of my family are voting for [Ahmed] Shafiq. Nothing I can do about that, except get called a communist lover 20 times a day.”
Youssef Emil Hanna, @ YoussefEHanna, similarly said “I’m currently not talking to my parents since they were going to vote for Sabahi but then they changed [their minds] to [Amre] Moussa.”
With many humorous posts, and several frustrated ones, the discussions highlighted the current state of Egyptians, always engaging in heated political debates.
A few hours later, when polls opened, most of the Twittersphere was engaging in highlighting their experience, reporting violations and posting the famous ‘finger-inked picture’ on Facebook — not to mention of course posting a joke or two. Pictures of a man voting on his donkey and another voting with his karkade hugs on his back were widely circulate on social networks. Conventional as well as online media also published pictures of a group of young men holding a banner rooting for Batman for president, the slogan read “Sanahya wotwatan,” or “We will live as bats,” referring to Hazem Salah Abu Ismail’s campaign slogan “Sanahya Keraman,” or “We will live dignified.
Traffic for elections
People have been debating, plotting and strategizing to reach the ultimate tactic for avoiding long voting queues. Early morning, late at night or right in the middle of the day, each had his own theory.
So Bey2ollak mobile application for traffic status jumped to the rescue. Alongside the normal user-generated traffic updates, Bey2ollak made life easier by adding a new feature for voters. Users could check updates of how crowded the polling stations are in different areas of Cairo and share live updates for other voters to help ease the long queues.
Feeding voters
If standing in a queue for long hours in the Egyptian sun to vote was exhausting, people excited to find that their effort will be rewarded by food. TBS, or The Bakery Shop, launched a three-days “Got Ink?” campaign, offering free baked goodies for all Egyptians voters upon presenting the inked finger. After queuing for hours, groups of friends and families would head out to TBS to proudly show them their ink and choose from the range of bakery goodies — and what could be more exciting than a free, toasty muffin treat after a long wait to finally vote for a president?
Famous Zamalek hip restaurant and bar Amici, WIF restaurant, or Wings in Flavor and La Pietra café and restaurant in Mohandessin and Heliopolis also has a 20 percent discount for Egyptian voters.
Eager to vote
The closing time for polling stations has also been pushed to 9 pm, with reports of angry voters banging on the doors to get in.
In the afternoon of the first day of voting, at a polling station in the Heliopolis area, the spirits were high and women kept pouring down on Al Horreya Street. And of course to fill the waiting time, and in the humorous spirit of Egyptians, jokes about receiving money to vote and how long the queues were constantly cracked to entertain the voters.
Yes, we are always a humorous and festive people, even in the most nail-biting moments of choosing a president
in such turbulent times.
|
Be Social
Comments
Leave a Comment