Mostafa Kamel , Driving Force of National 1874 - 1908

Mustafa Kamel
Mustafa Kamel is an outstanding nationalist leader, who fully dedicated his life and career to the cause of liberating, Egypt his homeland from the British occupation. He was, in fact, the driving force that instilled new life into the national liberation movement which had already suffered a severe setback, following the abortion of the Orabi Revolution in 1882, and the consequent British occupation of Egypt.


Mustafa Kamel

Through his writings and speeches, Mustafa Kamel waged untiring peaceful resistance against British colonialism inside Egypt and abroad. He disclosed the atrocities of British occupation in Egypt and managed to win the support of world public opinion. His rare devotion to and untiring defense of the cause of national independence had enriched the Egyptian nationalist movement.

Mustafa Kamel obtained his Bachelor of Law at the Egyptian school of law and traveled to France, where he obtained a degree in law at the school of law, Toulouse, France in 1899.

Kamel started his career as a lawyer, in preference to government jobs which, he thought, would bring him under the control of the British colonialist authorities.

His plan of action was based on two demands: evacuation of British occupation forces, and declaration of the constitution. His activity in this respect covered both the domestic and international arenas. At home, he worked for spreading awareness among Egyptians through public speeches and contributions to the press and so founded "Al Liwa" newspaper in 1900. He advocated the spreading of education by establishing private schools. He also called for the establishment of the Egyptian University. In 1907, he established the National Party as a political instrument to organize the political activities of young Egyptians involved in the struggle for independence and the institution of the constitution.

Internationally, Mustafa Kamel paid several visits to France and other European countries, where he delivered speeches before public gatherings and wrote articles in the press advocating the Egyptian cause. He also visited Constantinople, Capital of the Ottoman Empire, as he had close relationships with the Sultan's entourage and was endowed the title Pasha.

In 1906, the Denshewai incident took place, where a number of Egyptian peasants were arbitrarily sentenced to death, penal servitude and flogging under false charge of killing a British officer. This incident spurred the development of the nationalist movement. Mustafa Kamel seized the chance to expose the scandalous nature of the incident and the activities perpetrated by British. This resulted with the British High Commissioner, Lord Cromer being forced to resign and the Denshewai peasants sent to prison were pardoned in 1908.

Mostafa Kamel was a prominent Egyptian figure during the 19th century and the early years of the twentieth century.

Mostafa Kamel was born in Cairo on August 14th 1874. His father was an army officer. Mustafa Kamil was trained as a lawyer at the French law school in Cairo and the Law Faculty at the University of Toulouse in France.


Mustafa Kamel Square " 1940 "

In his struggle for Egypt independence he appealed to the Egyptian people to demand the withdrawal of the British army from occupied Egypt. He also called on Khedive Abbas to grant constitutional government to his subjects. He was strongly backed by one of Egypt's nobles "Pasha" Mohamed Farid ,who spent his last penny on the Egyptian independence case even after Mustafa's death.

In 1900, Mostafa Kamel founded the newspaper Al-Liwa' ("The Standard") as a platform for his views and utilized his skill as both a journalist and lawyer. His cause was aided by an atrocity known as the Dinshaway Incident (June 1906), in which four peasants were hastily tried and hanged for having assaulted uniformed British officers who were shooting pigeons in their village. He founded the National Party in December 1907, two months before his death. His funeral was the occasion for a massive demonstration of popular grief. He is remembered as a fervent patriot and an articulate advocate of Egyptian independence.

Although he lived for only 34 years he left his marks in Egyptian history as a great figure with unforgettable words taught today in Egyptian schools and quoted by intellectuals.



Mustafa Basha Kamel Funeral