CAIRO - Prime Minister Essam Sharaf, who was hospitalised overnight for exhaustion ahead of a major Cabinet reshuffle, asked current ministers to continue work until the new ones are sworn in, an indication that the new Cabinet might not be finalised soon. The new ministers were meant to be sworn in on Monday, but the ceremony was postponed for a day, amid protests over the embattled Premier's choice of ministers. "The incumbent ministers were instructed by Sharaf to continue working until the new ministers are sworn in. He has instructed that things should go on as normal," said Mohamed Hegazi, a Cabinet spokesman. He denied rumours on some websites that Sharaf has resigned, saying that his health is stable after he was briefly admitted to hospital on Monday night suffering from exhaustion. "The Prime Minister will continue his consultations over the Cabinet reshuffle once he feels better," added Hegazi. Foreign Minister Mohamed el-Orabi showed up in his Foreign Ministry office and conducted some diplomatic business, according to Ministry spokesman Menha Bakhoum. A Cabinet source said the Premier would return to work today and "finalise the Cabinet tomorrow or the day after". Sharaf, who heads a caretaker government after a popular revolt toppled strongman Hosni Mubarak in February, had hoped the sweeping reshuffle would persuade protesters to end a sit-in in Cairo's Tahrir Square. Fourteen new ministers and two deputy premiers had been expected to take the oath before Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, who heads the ruling Military Council, on Monday. But the protesters said they rejected the new reshuffle, as some ministers, including the ministers of justice, interior and manpower, retained their offices despite calls to sack them. "The reshuffle will not end the sit-in. Sharaf should resign," one protester told The Gazette in Tahrir Square yesterday. Hassan Nafaa, a professor of political science, warned this reshuffle could further anger protesters rather than appeasing them. "Chaos is on the horizon and the State is losing control of the Tahrir protesters," he warned, adding that he feels very worried about the possible reactions to the expected reshuffle. The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's best organised political group, said it had rejected an offer from Sharaf for five portfolios in his Government. "Five Brotherhood members were asked to become ministers. They have all rejected the idea. The Government of Sharaf does not have a vision or a message for Egyptian society," said Ahmed Abu Baraka, a key Brotherhood figure. Two nominees, for the antiquities and international trade ministries, have already backed off. The appointment of Abdel-Fatah Banna as antiquities minister caused a backlash from Ministry workers, leading Banna to turn down the job. It was not immediately known why Ahmed Abdel-Wahab has chosen not to take up the trade portfolio. Activists pushing for a swift move to civilian rule have called the reshuffle too little, too late, saying it fails to purge the Government of former Mubarak allies. Mohamed Ismail contributed to this report.
