Baghdad - In 1980, while Mouein al-Qatimy was still a student in Baghdad, Saddam Hussein executed his two brothers. They had refused to join the former dictator's Iraqi Baath Party.

Mouein was told that he was next.

"From that day the security forces started to follow me. They told me 'your destiny will be like them' if you don't conform," he told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

"The old regime did not give any room for opposition in Iraq," he said.

Mouein fled Iraq and lived in exile for more than 20 years.

In 1983 he graduated from the University of Damascus, with a degree in mechanical engineering. After his graduation, he pursued a civil society career in Syria and Jordan, like many other opponents of the former Saddam regime.

More than two decades later, Mouein is back in Iraq, and on the campaign trail.

Whether at a stadium, a public garden, or a religious shrine, he can be seen amidst crowds of people, holding a microphone, giving his message.

As he listens to the demands of young people, he promises to brighten their future and make it more fortunate than his own, as well as heal the pain of the past.

"After years of political struggle with the old system, I seek to compensate those who struggled with the old regime," said Mouein.

The candidate is running for the Baghdad provincial council, on the Martyrs of the Pulpit list, a Shiite coalition led by Abdul Aziz al-Hakim. Hakim is the leader of the countrys largest political party (the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council) - and also a one-time political exile.

On January 31, elections will take place in 14 of Iraq's 18 provinces. According to Iraq's Independent High Election Commission
(IHEC). some 14,300 candidates will be competing for over 440 provincial seats.

"Revealing the brutality of the old regime was my aim," said Mouein.

During the 1990's, Saddam's Sunni-dominated Baath Party suppressed a Shiite uprising, leaving over 300,000 dead.

Al-Qatimy says he does not hold any animosity toward the Sunni minority who were once the rulers of his country.

"As for Sunnis, we reach out for them in our campaign, I believe we can serve them better than other parties," said Mouien. "We target all social classes in Iraq with special attention to the deprived people."

Despite his own religious affiliations, Mouein says that Iraqi citizens are tired of candidates who try to win their votes through fervent religious slogans - and empty promises. Discontent with sectarian politics is running high in the current campaign.

"We need the best candidates who are capable of rebuilding our war-torn country regardless of religious affiliation or background. We need a candidates who are able to reconstruct our cities rather than religious preachers who are incapable of doing anything," said Shawkatt al-Samraay, 52, a retiree.

Mouein's election programme, he says, is neither ideological nor sectarian. Instead, he claims it focuses on the practical needs of the people.

"We need to serve orphans and widows by building hospitals for them," said Mouein. He also said that his plan includes improving the sewage system and developing the roads of Baghdad.

He will campaign to build more police stations all over the city, Mouein said.

Despite concerns about election violations, Mouein, like other candidates, has been able to campaign for the vote in relative peace.

Baghdad security spokesmen claim that the level of violence has dropped by 90 per cent compared to previous election periods - the last were in 2005 as Iraq was descending into civil war.

In such a relative lull, a primary concern for candidates, including al-Qatimy, is the practice of tearing down election posters for opposition candidates.

Despite the efforts of the IHEC to clamp down on the practice, including introducing six-month prison sentences for offenders, the removal of election material has become common, says Mouein.

"They still tear down the posters and signs. The IHEC isn't doing enough to stop the violations."

Despite the annoyances, the campaign goes on, Mouein says.

"Serving the people of Baghdad is an honour." (dpa)