Mubarak's new cabinet, which he announced today, was dismissed by the opposition as an “unsuccessful attempt” to save an “illegitimate” regime. “This cabinet is a failing attempt to circumvent the revolution and waste time. The regime has fallen and Mubarak has fallen,” says Alaa Abdel Moneim, former MP and member of the shadow parliament. Mubarak dedicated the interior portfolio to Mahmoud Wagdy, head of the criminal research unit and former head of the prisons department, sacking Habib al-Adly. Al-Adly is considered responsible for the killing of hundreds of civilians in clashes that erupted between police and demonstrators throughout this week. Mubarak reappointed some ministers who served in the outgoing cabinet. Moufid Shehab, an NDP stalwart, was entrusted with the ministry of legal affairs in addition to the people's assembly affairs ministry. Shehab is an unpopular figure in Egyptian because of his contribution to the drafting of undemocratic legislations. Adding insult to injury, President Mubarak reappointed Anas al-Fikky as minister of information. In recent months, al-fikky has launched a staunch campaign to crack down on the private media, particularly ahead of the legislative elections conducted in November and December 2010. Mohamed al-Beltagy, Muslim Brotherhood leader, calls Mubarak's cabinet choices “stubborn.” He adds that Mubarak will not be able to satisfy the people until he dissolves the NDP and excludes its leaders, which the people have come to regard as corrupt, from the government. The appointment of Ahmed Shafiq, former minister of civilian aviation, as prime minister, in addition to giving the returning minister of defense, Hassan Tantawy, a second position of deputy prime minister, makes the military a strong presence in the new cabinet. Abdel Moneim finds the new cabinet lacking legitimacy and value. He expects that the new ministers will not have time to take office. Abdel Moneim is confident that the Egyptian people will not be satisfied with the new cabinet. “The people have already said their word. They don't want the regime or any of its symbolic leaders,” he says. The new cabinet excluded all businessmen considered to be the president's older son, Gamal Mubarak's main clientele. The sacked cabinet included at least five businessmen who were widely viewed by the Egyptian people to have spearheaded the neo-liberal economic policies that led to the impoverishment of many Egyptians. A new entrant to the ruling establishment is Finance Minister Samir Radwan, who has a background in consultancy with the International Labor Organization and wrote extensively about slim wages and unemployment. Mubarak also fired Farouk Hosny, the former minister of culture, who has been widely blamed for the fire in Egypt's National Theater in 2008 and the theft of a Van Gogh painting from the Mahmoud Khalil museum a few months ago. Hosny had remained in office for over 20 years. There was no mention of the ministries of education and tourism in the president's appointments. Al-Beltagy says that Mubarak is wasting valuable time and losing his chances with the people, who, since Tuesday, have been demonstrating by the tens of thousands for the ouster of Mubarak's regime. “Since 25 January, every day that passes diminishes the president's chances to reach a reconciliation with the people,” says al-Beltagy.
