After three weeks of protests in Egypt, president Hosni Mubarak has stepped down and the military have “temporarily” taken control. However doubts persist about the new rulers and the direction Egypt will now take with the army in control.
Military rulers have won tentative praise from protesters for announcing the abolition of an unpopular parliament. The army claims it will turn over power to a democratically elected, civilian government in a matter of months.
However some have expressed reservations.
Leading opposition figure Mohammed ElBaradei told GPS said that the military must explain its plans in more detail or see a resumption of the demonstrations that drove Mubarak from office.
“They need to come out of their headquarters and start talking to the people and tell us what is in store for us,” ElBaradei said.
Egypt’s military leaders are reportedly preparing to ban strikes and act against “chaos and disorder” in an attempt to restore order in the country.
A few dozen protesters were still gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir (Liberation) Square this morning, but they said they had then been told by the army to leave or face arrest.
Hosni Mubarak
Meanwhile some Egyptians are demanding that ex-president Mubarak stand trial for the deaths of demonstrators during the 18 days of protests.
Mubarak resigned on Friday and is now believed to be staying in a villa in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh.
A memorial service was expected to take place Monday at Cairo University to honour those who died during clashes between pro-Mubarak and anti-Mubarak demonstrators.
