CAIRO: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi criticized Sunday his country’s media after being slammed after rainwater inundated large areas of Alexandria where at least five people were killed in weather-related accidents.
“I see people do not understand nor have knowledge while they talk in a microphone or write in a newspaper… by this way you make your country lost…You say that everything (state’s sectors and institutions) have catastrophes; does not that sector (media) have catastrophes as well,” President Sisi during his speech in a cultural symposiums for the Armed Forces Sunday.
“A journalist said that the President was meeting the Siemens chairperson and abandoned Alexandria drowning in rainwater… that is unacceptable,” he added, continuing “are you(journalists) torturing me for being standing here?”
Sisi called on media to spread “correct awareness” among the people.
Journalist Khaled Abu Baker said in a talk show on Oct. 25 “As long as Sisi meets Siemens chairperson 14 times in a month, no cadres are being prepared.” His remarks came as comments on rainwater that inundating streets a few days ago.
The continuous rainfall left pools of water in streets covering cars, trees and the corniche. Prime Minister Sherif Ismail admitted the government’s failure to handle the heavy rain fall.
On Oct. 25, Sisi met with Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser to talk the latest developments on the implementation of three natural gas-fired combined cycle power plants. In June, Siemens and the Egyptian government have signed contracts worth €8 billion for the three power plants which will add an additional 14.4 gigawatts (GW) to Egypt’s national grid.
In November 2014, editors in chief of major newspapers signed a “loyalty pledge,” promising that they would not criticize state institutions during a “war on terror.”