September 27, 1999
Web posted at: 5:45 a.m. EDT (0945 GMT)

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From staff and wire reports

CAIRO, Egypt (CNN) -- Egyptian voters overwhelmingly endorsed President Hosni Mubarak for a fourth six-year term in office with nearly 95 percent of the vote in Sunday's yes-or-no ballot, Interior Minister Habib al-Adli said.

The widely-expected outcome was announced on state television early Monday. Mubarak garnered 17,554,856 "yes" votes, according to state figures -- 93.8 percent of the ballots cast.

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Cairo Bureau Chief Ben Wedeman reports that Egyptians go to the polls Sunday to vote on whether they endorse President Hosni Mubarak for a fourth six-year term. Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K CNN's James Martone reports on mood in Egypt as voters go to polls Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K

Nearly 19 million of the country's 23.9 million registered voters took part in the referendum.

In three prior elections, ballots showed 95 percent of voters in favor of Muburak. This time around, the 71-year-old pledged to take cautious steps toward democracy: He also hinted at a cabinet reshuffle and promised to pursue economic reforms.

Mubarak ran unopposed in a election most considered a mere formality.

Egypt's constitution calls for the country's elected parliament to select a single candidate for presidential referendums. The People's Assembly, dominated by the president's National Democratic Party, chose Mubarak in July.

Mubarak, his wife Suzanne and two sons, Alaa and Gamal, cast their ballots at a girls' school near their home in the Cairo suburb of Misr el-Gedida. He made no comment.

A crowd outside chanted "With our soul and blood we sacrifice for you, Mubarak," as the president's motorcade of black limousines drove away amid tight security.

Despite the lack of other candidates, Mubarak's party and state-run media conducted an extravagant media campaign before the election.

The streets of Cairo had all but disappeared under a deluge of banners, posters, flags and giant portraits of a leader sometimes ascribed the characteristics of a living saint.

The state-owned al-Ahram newspaper on Sunday hailed the referendum as a "Day of great gratitude," underlining its front-page story with the colors of the Egyptian flag.

Activists of Mubarak's National Democratic Party handed out photographs of their leader and many companies sent their employees to voting stations in buses.

"I'm uneducated, but I know Mubarak is our savior. In October 1973, he shot up like a rocket into the sky to save us," said one woman after casting her vote. She was referring to Mubarak's role as air force chief in the 1973 war with Israel.

But opposition groups boycotting the referendum charged that the vote was a sham and urged the president to initiate direct, multiparty elections.

Some also campaigned for people to vote "no" on the ballot. But the campaign was confined to public statements. Anti- Mubarak posters and pamphlets were not visible in the streets.

One local resident, Abdullah Mahfouz, said he would not enter a polling station because "my vote doesn't count."

Train services were free for the day to help voters reach Egypt's 41,000 polling stations. There was no official word on how many of the country's 24 million eligible voters cast ballots.

Trucks full of khaki-uniformed riot police armed with rifles and batons appeared in the already heavily policed streets of Cairo. The government did not report any violence during the nine-hour voting period.

Witnesses said the streets of the capital were quiet, apart from amplified pro-Mubarak messages blaring from pickup trucks, as residents went about their normal business.

Mubarak on Friday urged Egyptians to grant him another six- year term. He has run unopposed in every presidential election since he took power after Muslim militants assassinated President Anwar Sadat in October 1981.

"This is not so much a referendum on my person as on the path of our nation." he said in a televised speech. "I call on all of you, supporters and opponents, to go to the polls and play a role in your country's politics."

Spurred by accusations of administrative corruption, and criticism of his economic policies and human rights record, Mubarak promised changes after the vote.

He said Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri's Cabinet would resign, but would stay on until a new one is formed.

Correspondent James Martone and Reuters contributed to this report.

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