Egyptians will go to the polls tomorrow to choose their president from among 10 hopefuls in the nation's first ever multi-candidate election for its head of state.

The past three weeks have seen candidates traveling around the country, delivering speeches and presenting their election programs to voters.

President Hosni Mubarak, candidate of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP), concluded his campaign on Sunday with a rally in Greater Cairo, which comprises provinces of Cairo, Giza and Qalubiya.

Around 50,000 people attended the event to express support for Mubarak's reelection bid, campaign officials said.

Mubarak highlighted the main themes of his campaign, including reforming industry and agriculture as well as increasing participation in the political process in his new term.

Mubarak, 77, has been in power since 1981 when his predecessor Anwar Sadat was assassinated by Islamic extremists for making peace with Israel. He is seeking his fifth six-year term.

The campaign season was a novelty for Egyptians, who had previously only voted at referendums at which they were asked to vote "yes" or "no" for the incumbent. Mubarak has won previous referendums with over 90 percent of the vote.

"The age of referendums and pledging allegiances is over," Mubarak assured the whistling, clapping crowd. "Those who want to support me, should give me their voice and who are convinced by my vision and my program must express that in the ballot boxes."

The other nine candidates, including Noaman Gomaa, candidate of Egypt's oldest and most prominent opposition Wafd Party, and Ayman Nour, candidate of el-Ghad (Tomorrow) Party, also ended their campaigns.

Gomaa claimed the three-week campaign was not long enough but praised the coverage he received from state-owned media ahead of tomorrow's polls.

Gomaa was among a handful of the 10 candidates to deliver speeches at the end of the official campaigning period.

Gomaa alleged members or supporters of Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party tore down his "humble posters" and complained of "harassment, but it hasn't reached an annoying level."

"The president did not order the posters be torn down, it was the behavior of those people who have grown accustomed to power," he said, arguing that Mubarak's 24-year term in office has created centers of unwieldy political power.

Also, Mubarak told an Egyptian daily admitted that there had been problems during the campaign involving some government bodies, which had taken time to adjust to Egypt's new political landscape, capped off by tomorrow's polls.

"The experience is new for us, government and opposition. It's only normal that there will be some mistakes," he told the Al-Masry al-Youm newspaper. "I was forced to personally intervene more than once to give instructions that ensure the state's neutrality in elections and equal opportunity for the 10 candidates."

Gomaa did admit there were some positives during the campaign, in particular the coverage from Egypt's state-run media outlets.

"The Egyptian television treated us well and gave us opportunities," he said. "The governmental press was reasonable to a great extent."

Meanwhile, the spokesman for the elections committee running the vote said thousands of Egyptian monitors planning to observe the poll to make sure it is run fairly won't be allowed inside polling station.

"We have explained more than once that whoever wants to monitor can do so outside the polling stations," Osama Attawiya said. "But monitoring from inside is a right to all the representatives of the candidates."

(China Daily September 6, 2005)