Egypt to celebrate revolution that toppled Mubarak

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Egypt will celebrate with pomp and parade the revolt that unseated president Hosni Mubarak, making January 25 an official public holiday, a member of the ruling military council said today.

"The armed forces will organise a big celebration on January 25 in line with the momentous event," General Ismail Etman said.
January 25 - when protesters took to the streets across the country to call for democratic change and the downfall of Mubarak's regime - will now be considered a 'national day', he said.

Etman described last year's 18-day revolution as 'the biggest and greatest event' in Egypt's contemporary history, and equal to the July 23, 1952 revolution led by military officers that ended the monarchy.

Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, Mubarak's long-time defence minister who now heads the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), has vowed to hand power to civilian rule as quickly as possible.

But activists accuse the military of trying to maintain its grip on power.

The SCAF has also come under fire for heavy-handed tactics during clashes between anti-military protesters and security forces that left dozens dead in October and November.

"Five months only remain before power is handed over, on a golden plate, to an elected civilian regime," said Etman, referring to presidential elections due in June.

He also insisted that for Egypt's military rulers, 'stability is the main goal until the wheel of investments, tourism and economy starts turning'.