In the working-class Cairo neighbourhood of Shobra, home to a large Christian community, 30-year-old Makram was proud to declare his support for Shafiq, the last premier to serve under ousted president Hosni Mubarak
...The former President-for-Life of Egypt, dumped by popular demand in early 2011...
"We are backing the one who can ensure a measure of security for our community and the country," the government employee said.
"Since the end of the first round on May 24, we launched a mobilisation campaign to get the community to vote for Shafiq and encourage those who are reluctant to go and vote on Saturday and Sunday" in the runoff poll, he added.
Makram denied that the Coptic Church leadership had urged the faithful to vote one way or another, but even without such an endorsement, the Christian community has largely swung their support behind Shafiq's campaign.
And in Shobra, men and women joined long queues outside polling stations set up in local schools from the early hours of the morning, determined to cast their ballots.
While Shafiq's critics dub him a "felool," a pejorative term used by some Egyptians to refer to members of the old regime, Makram countered that his candidate had "a clear vision for the future of the country."
And Shafiq's experience, as a prime minister, aviation minister and air force chief, "will allow him to re-establish security and protect those who are discriminated against," he said.