Egypt’s ruling military junta ruled out ceding power to a civilian government today, saying that dominating the country is a “curse, not a blessing” and that the Army would continue to rule over the nation.

One of the ruling council’s members, Mukhtar El-Moula, urged protesters to stop complaining about military dominance and instead focus on the upcoming election, which is scheduled to begin on Monday.

Despite the public protests in Tahrir Square leading to violent attacks by the nation’s security forces, officials say there are no plans to postpone the election. The first round is expected to last through March.

The election system will appoint a new interim parliament, but the junta will retain control over most of the government in practice. Even once a full civilian government is elected, which could take years, the military will retain considerable unchecked power.

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