Cairo: Egypt’s new Prime Minister Ebrahim Mehleb has banned the use of bottled water in the headquarters of the government, saying he will drink tap water.
“This step emanates from my keenness to cut spending and share the average people their lifestyle,” Mehleb, an ex-housing minister, told reporters on Friday.
He added that he is highly confident of the quality of Egypt’s tap water. He made the gesture at the end of a day on which he finalised the line-up of his government after last-minute snags.
In a further gesture to win the public’s confidence, Mehleb said he cancelled the motorcades characteristic of Egyptian premiers. “I’ll move in one car only because I fear nobody but God. I have confidence in the Egyptian security and realise well the necessity of working to regain the Egyptian citizen’s confidence,” he added.
Government officials are usually driven in multi-car convoys escorted by bodyguards, adding to the country’s legendary traffic snarl-ups.
The new government is expected to be sworn in on Sunday, becoming Egypt’s second since the military toppled Islamist president Mohammad Mursi in July last year following massive street protests against his one-year rule.
