Campaigns for Egypt’s second round presidential election were marred by protests.

Egyptians go to the polls for two days this weekend – June 16 and 17 – for the second round of presidential election following the 2011 revolution that led to the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak. The first round last month produced Mohamed Mursi, an engineer and university lecturer of the Moslem Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party and his runner up, Ahmed Shafiq. He was Mubarak’s last Premier and ran as an independent candidate in an election whose turnout was about 50 per cent.

Campaigns for the runoff election have however been overshadowed by other issues. The release of results of the first round was soon followed by the torching and vandalisation of the Cairo campaign headquarters of Ahmed Shafiq. The anger of the protesters was attributed to their shock and disbelief that the political freedom they had fought so hard for during the revolution had finally left them with the choice of two undesirable candidates.

In general, supporters of last year’s revolution are miffed at the fact that none of the runoff candidates really represents the goals of the unprecedented uprising. Consequently, they feel that the revolution has been hijacked by those who did not fight for it. The palpable anger and confusion of Egyptian activists is being compounded by their inability to unite. Activists are torn between voting for Islamist Mursi despite their misgivings about the Moslem Brotherhood and conservative Shafiq who is seen as being part of the old order.

On the other hand, Hamdeen Sabbahi who came third has demanded a recount of the ballot. A high court ruling later this week could disqualify Ahmed Shafiq from the second round in conformity with a law that bars former members of Hosni Mubarak’s regime from standing. The court is due to announce its decision before the election. In the event of such a decision, Hamdeen Sabbahi will be allowed to stand. He is said to have the support of many pro-revolution activists.

Perhaps the single most important incident that has overshadowed the election campaign was the June 2, 2012 court ruling sentencing Hosni Mubarak to life imprisonment for complicity in the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising that led to his ouster from power. He was however acquitted on all corruption charges. Incidentally, a scuffle broke out in the courtroom immediately after Mubarak was given the life term. His sons and six other senior officials were also acquitted. Angered by what they considered as outright injustice, pro-revolution activists have since resumed their protests at Tahrir Square in the capital, Cairo.

Last week, the worsening health of Mubarak who had all along attended his trial on a stretcher, was topical. In the event of his death before Election Day, it could distract the attention of voters – especially among his supporters. Similarly, the election risks witnessing another low turnout; if not lower than in the first round.

In spite of efforts by the two candidates to woo and reassure the public that they have since distanced themselves from their political bases and that their tenure will seek to consolidate the gains of the revolution, Egyptians appear to be skeptical. They do not seem to believe that Mohamed Mursi can indeed shirk off his Moslem fundamentalist leaning and adopt the revolutionary ideas of a secular State. Nor can Ahmed Shafiq successfully change public perception that he was against last year’s revolution and is still a Mubarak loyalist at heart.

In spite of the divisions, Egyptians appear united in promising to take to the streets should Shafiq win the run-off. Some fear a military coup if the Brotherhood takes over.