CAIRO - An Egyptian public delegation left for Uganda Mondayfor discussions with President Yoweri Museveni and senior officials on a dispute over an agreement of using the Nile waters. The delegation comprises potential contenders for president Hamdeen Sabahi, Ayman Nour, Hesham el-Bastawisi; head of opposition el-Wafad Party Sayed el-Badawi; former Minister of Irrigation Mahmoud Abu Zeid and former Agriculture Minister Ahmed el-Leithi and a host of public figures and a member of the ruling Military Council. Some young people of the January 25 revolution are also included. Co-ordinatorof the trip, Moustafa el-Guindi, El-Wafad deputy chairman, said the delegation would review in Egypt's vision on the Nile-water sharing, according to close source. They would also stress that the Egyptian people would turn over a new leaf with the Nile Basin countries, to “eliminate the corruption of the defunct regime” and seek Museveni's support to Egypt's stance on the Nile. Similar campaigns would follow in other riparian states. Last month, Burundi was the sixth nation to sign an agreement on usage of Nile waters, enabling ratification of an accord that may strip Egypt of its veto power over projects that tap the world's longest river.
