Al-Sisi's trinity

The energy-saving bicycle and light bulb, as well as dividing loaves of bread into four parts is the solution to all of Egypt’s incurable economic problems according to the leader of the brutal coup. This is his programme which he will implement once authority is handed over to him. He started it in a spectacle last Friday when he rode a bicycle to participate in a race while heavily guarded by armoured vehicles, tanks and had helicopters flying overhead. I believe it was a sports day attended by students from the military and police academies, but there had to also be some media personalities and artists supportive of the coup present at the race in order to appease Al-Sisi, which ultimately was the greatest contribution to him winning first place.

Haven’t I repeatedly said that Egypt has been living in a state of farce and absurdity since July 3, 2013; i.e. since the former Minister of Defence seized power from the legitimately elected Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi? This farcical scene, the so-called race, is a message to the Egyptian people who have been broken by crushing poverty urging them to walk or cycle 20 kilometres to work in order to save energy, thus saving the state fuel subsidies, as the state is planning on cancelling subsidised energy, meaning the price of fuel and electricity will increase. He has also demanded that the people use energy-saving light bulbs and divide loaves of bread into four, meaning he will also eliminate subsidies on flour, thus increasing the price of bread!

So, this man will make-up for the deficit in the public budget at the expense of the poor, making them even poorer and more miserable, but he will not affect the rich and businessmen nor will he impose taxes on them. Moreover, he will not set a maximum salary and definitely will not be approaching the military empire that controls 50 per cent of Egypt’s economy. He will neither be able to affect them nor will he even try because they are the ones who put him in the position he has dreamt about for over 30 years.

He is only able to control and impact the poor on whom he exercises the ugliest forms of oppression, humiliation and tyranny; this is the strength his loyal media is trying to promote. They are trying to portray him as a strong man and brave knight, but he is merely a man made out of paper; a knight without a horse.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.