CAIRO - Egypt's new Cabinet sworn in on Thursday last, after several times delayed by the insistence of pro-reform and fell ill Prime Minister Essam Sharaf.
AM Sharaf, previously rumored to resign but denied, induct new members of cabinet in the presence of Marshal Hussein Tantawi, Chairman of the Supreme Military Council as a transitional ruler President Hosni Mubarak's successor - who resigned on Feb. 11.
Members of the new cabinet was originally inaugurated on Sunday (17 / 7), but was postponed on Monday (18 / 7) and delayed again due to falling ill AM Sharaf. Sharaf health improved on Wednesday (20 / 7) of high blood pressure and hearing loss in his right ear, sources said.
After discharge from the Hospital Darul Fuad on Wednesday, Sharaf reportedly doing deliberations late into the night, especially the two strategic posts, the industry minister and minister of transport.
Many analysts believe the delay inauguration of the new cabinet was due to pull of political forces and intense pressure from some pro-reform groups are now closing at-Tahrir, the roundabout in downtown Cairo's iconic revolutionary overthrow of the Mubarak regime.
Tahrir roundabout was closed by pro-reform youth since two weeks ago with the demand that accelerated reforms and demanding immediate diadilinya Mubarak, who is now hospitalized Sharm Esh Sheikh, Red Sea resort town, 500 kilometers east of Cairo.
Approximately half of the cabinet members were overhauled, which includes the foreign minister, economy minister and oil minister. Interior Minister Mansour Al Essawy, previously rumored to be changing, remain at his post in the new cabinet.
The new ministers, among others, is the Deputy Prime Minister and concurrently Minister of Public Works Mohamed Ali Abdel-Hafiz, Deputy Prime Minister and concurrently Minister Hazem Abdel Mohamed Al Kuangan Bablawy, Minister of Higher Education and Research Science and Technology Motaz Mohamed Hosni Horshid.
Minister for Health and Population held by Amr Mohamed Helmi, Regional Development Minister Ahmed Atiya Mohamed, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Farg Yousuf Saleh, and Mohamed Abdel Fadil Waqaf Minister Abdel Aziz.