Egypt's cabinet pledged on Monday to clear out officials who held senior posts under Hosni Mubarak, continue with public corruption trials and press on with other reforms to placate protesters who have turned their anger on the ruling military.
Protesters tried to march on the Defense Ministry in Cairo on Saturday, accusing the ruling generals of foot-dragging over reforms and in holding ex-officials to account. They were blocked by military police lines and stone-throwing youths.
In a statement issued to reporters, the cabinet committee charged with crisis management said it would "cast out all the ranks of the former regime from positions of responsibility in all state agencies as fast as possible."
It also stressed "the principle of public trials for all symbols of the former regime and the former president and calling on the court responsible to announce the procedures for his trial and its location and revealing his real health condition."
It also made other pledges, such as setting a maximum wage for the higher paid officials within a month and referring new cases to trial more quickly.
