Mohamed Morsi Net Worth: $500,000
Category: Richest Politicians › Presidents
Date of Birth: August 8, 1951
Place of Birth: El-Adwah, Sharqia Governorate, Egypt
Date of Death: June 17, 2019
Profession: Politician, Engineer, Professor
Nationality: Egyptian
Overview
Mohamed Morsi was an Egyptian politician, engineer, and academic who served as the 5th President of Egypt from June 2012 to July 2013. He was the first democratically elected president in Egyptian history and affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, a movement long suppressed under previous regimes. At the time of his death in 2019, his net worth was estimated at $500,000.
Education and Early Career
Born in a modest farming family, Morsi graduated with honors in engineering from Cairo University, followed by a master’s degree in metallurgical engineering. He was later awarded a PhD in materials science from the University of Southern California in 1982. While in the U.S., he worked as an assistant professor at California State University, Northridge, and briefly collaborated with NASA on space shuttle projects.
Return to Egypt and Academic Tenure
In 1985, Morsi returned to Egypt to teach engineering at Zagazig University, where he led the engineering department and became increasingly active in Islamist politics under the then-banned Muslim Brotherhood.
Political Rise
- Elected to Egypt’s Parliament in 2000 as an independent (due to the Brotherhood’s banned status).
- Became the founding chairman of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), the Brotherhood’s political arm, in 2011.
- After the disqualification of Khairat El-Shater, Morsi ran as the FJP’s backup presidential candidate and won the 2012 election with 51.7% of the vote.
Presidency and Controversies
Morsi’s presidency was marred by:
- Constitutional power grabs: He issued a decree in November 2012 granting himself sweeping powers, sparking mass protests.
- Deteriorating economy and inflation.
- Public discontent and massive protests in mid-2013.
- He was ousted by the military under General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in July 2013 after one year in office.
Legal Trials and Imprisonment
After his removal:
- Morsi was imprisoned and tried on multiple charges, including inciting violence, espionage, and prison breaks.
- In 2015, he received a death sentence, which was later overturned, though he remained incarcerated.
- He died in court on June 17, 2019, reportedly from a heart attack, amid claims of neglect and poor detention conditions.
Legacy
Morsi’s presidency is viewed as a watershed moment in Egypt’s political history. While he represented democratic hope post-Arab Spring, his term raised alarms about Islamist dominance, civil liberties, and governance inexperience. His sudden fall marked the reassertion of military power in Egyptian politics.
