Egyptian prime minister vows to meet people's demands

Mar 4, 2011, 18:03 GMT

Egypt\'s new prime minister Essam Sharaf (R) speaks to tens of thousands of Egyptians gathered in Tahrir square, Cairo, Egypt, 04 March 2011. Protests continued in Cairo despite announcment by the Egyptian Armed Forces on 03 March appointing Sharaf to replace the controversial Ahmed Shafiq. Demonstrators are waiting for the rest of their demands to be met, including the release of all political prisoners and the lifting of the state of emergency. EPA/MOHAMED OMAR

Cairo - Egypt's newly-appointed prime minister, Essam Sharaf, vowed to meet the people's demands as he addressed tens of thousands of activists and supporters in Tahrir Square on Friday.

'I derive my legitimacy from you,' he told people in central Cairo. 'I will do my best to meet the revolutionary demands and the day I fail I will not be here.'

Sharaf, in his second day on the job, was appointed by the armed forces, now in control of the country, after opposition and youth activists recommended his name to the post.

He takes over after Ahmed Shafiq resigned following weeks of protests, with activists demanding a purge of all ministers appointed by the former president Hosny Mubarak.

Meanwhile, the cabinet on Friday set a date for a national referendum to be held on March 19 for Egyptians to vote on seven constitutional articles that a judiciary committe has been working to amend.

Amendments include abolishing Article 179 that deals with anti- terrorism, the cabinet said on its official Facebook page.

Other amendments would impose a two-term limit, four years each, on the presidency and expand the eligibility criteria of who can run for the presidency.

Mubarak, who ruled Egypt for almost 30 years, was serving his fifth six-year term when 18 days of protests forced him to step down.

'I pray to see Egypt a free country, where expressing opinion does not lead to prison and where security serves the people. Help us reach this,' Sharaf told activists in Tahrir, as the crowd shouted 'The people want to bring down the State Security Service.'

Activists are calling for the release of political prisoners and want the military to dissolve the controversial State Security Investigations Service, which was responsible for much of the deadly violence against protesters that left over 350 people dead.

Sharaf, a professor of civil engineering at Cairo University, is known among opposition circles for his 'good reputation' and was reported to have been seen protesting in Tahrir Square against Mubarak prior to his resignation on February 11.

The thousands who headed to Tahrir Square on Friday were mostly celebrating Sharaf's appointment to lead the country through the coming period of transition.

'There is no other place one can derive determination and strong will from,' he said, referring to the square, which has been the focal point of calls for reform and change.

After Sharaf finished his speech, he was carried atop the shoulders of several demonstrators. He then walked in the square, amid chants, such as 'Lift your head up high, you are Egyptian' and 'Tahrir salutes you Essam.'

A number of activists are now calling on Sharaf to disband the National Democratic Party, once the ruling party of Mubarak, and to remove an emergency law that has been in effect for 30 years.

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