Egypt to Empty the Symbol of Bureaucracy

Egypt’s bureaucracy just took a blow. The building that symbolizes long waits, frustrating government, and rubber stamped permits is being torn down. Today’s Washington Post reported that downtown Cairo’s Mugamma–Arabic for ‘the complex,’ will be torn down in June, moving the minstry offices into scattered offices in the suburbs.

“It just became a nuisance, instead of a central competant place to provide all kinds of citizen services, the Mugamma just became a mess,” said Sami Saad, Cabinet secretary general for the government. “The Mugamma symbolizes Egypt’s impenetrable bureaucracy, its emptying out will be the end of a symbol of the Egyption state, like tearing down a pyramid, said Mahmoud Sabit, a historian.

The new location for the 15 displaced ministries will be called Smart Village. Featuring blue tinted glass and exterior walls set at angles to suggest ancient pyramids, the new building complex won’t have the crowds. It looks like an all inclusive resort at low season. ‘We want to be e-friendly,” said Saad, through e-government, we can empower our citizens. No more Mugammas ever again.”