CAIRO - Leading judge Hisham al-Bastawisy announced his candidacy for the Egyptian presidency on Monday, joining prominent figures including Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa in the race for the post. Bastawisy, former deputy chairman of Egypt's court of cassation, was a leading figure in a 2005 campaign for judicial independence and judicial oversight of elections that were routinely rigged under President Hosni Mubarak's rule. "I want to run for the presidency because I felt this is what people want because many have told me they want me to run," Bastawisy, 59, told Reuters. Mubarak was swept from power in February by a mass uprising and the election to replace him is expected to be the first truly competitive presidential vote in Egypt's history. Mubarak was in the job for three decades. Bastawisy spent the last few years in Kuwait due to what he said was harassment by security agencies which had him under surveillance. "I think I have something to give to my country during this new era and I would be glad to do so," he said. The presidential election is due later this year and will follow legislative elections which could be held as soon as September. Constitutional amendments passed in a referendum at the weekend open up competition for the presidency. Other prominent candidates for the presidency are former UN watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei and Ayman Nour, a liberal who challenged Mubarak for the presidency in 2005.
