Former Egyptian water minister to form new Cabinet

Hesham Kandil served as the minister of water resources and irrigation in the outgoing Egyptian government. (Al Arabiya)

Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi has asked Hesham Qandil to form a new government, Egypt’s state news agency reported on Tuesday.

Mursi tasked Qandil, the minister of Water Resources and Irrigation in the outgoing government, with putting together a new Cabinet to replace the current military-appointed one.

Mursi had promised to pick someone from outside his Muslim Brotherhood group to lead a unity government.

It is unclear what Qandil’s powers will be or whether the country’s military will continue to control the appointment of top security posts.

The appointment comes 25 days after Mursi was sworn in as Egypt’s first civilian and freely elected head of state to replace Hosni Mubarak, who was driven from office by a popular uprising early last year.

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