Egypt's president to swear in new Cabinet

August 02, 2012

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's Islamist president is to swear in a new Cabinet as tensions rise over the country's tenuous security, recent sectarian violence and popular discontent over issues such as widespread water and power outages.

The ceremony comes over a week after President Mohammed Morsi named political novice Hesham Kandil as prime minister. The U.S.-educated Kandil will announce the Cabinet lineup on Thursday before he and his ministers are sworn in by Morsi.

The new government will be Morsi's first since taking office June 30, succeeding Hosni Mubarak who was ousted in a popular uprising nearly 18 months ago. Kandil served as water minister in the outgoing, military-backed government and his Cabinet — according to official media reports — will include several members of that administration, including the finance and foreign ministers.