Egypt's former President Hosni Mubarak, who was toppled in the wake of the Arab Spring in 2011 and who passed away yesterday at the age of 91, will reportedly be buried shortly following afternoon prayers in Cairo.
Hosni Mubarak, the man who governed Egypt for thirty years stepped down in February 2011 following the eruption of popular protests against him with people venting their anger at the lack of economic reforms, the growing gaps between the rich and the poor, and the nepotism surrounding his rule.
“The general mood on the Egyptian street is that people won't miss Mubarak. Many forgot about him but we are all saddened by the news of him passing away. After all, he was one of the best presidents we've had”, said Ahmed Gamal, a 44-year old creative designer at one of Cairo's advertising agencies.
Mubarak's Renaissance
During his tenure, Mubarak overhauled Egypt. Apart from cementing relations with the US who since 1980 has injected some $40 billion into the military and sent $30 billion in economic aid, he also introduced a number of significant economic reforms.
These included the increased role of the private sector rather than government involvement, the reduction of taxes and tariffs as well as a number of initiatives aimed at improving the country's competitiveness.
Investments in infrastructure also saw a significant boost during his time in office with the former president improving Egypt's network of roads, connecting…
