Persistent blackouts in Egypt undermine confidence in government

Egypt has been plagued with persistent blackouts this year due to the dual pressures of soaring temperatures increasing the demand for air conditioning and a reduction in domestic gas output. 

In some areas, power outages have lasted more than 10 hours a day. A heatwave in June killed 40 people in Aswan. 

The government has pledged to resolve the power outages as of last Sunday until mid-September. However, reports from the New York Times, citing social media, suggest that the blackouts have not completely ceased. 

The power cuts are leading to significant business losses and eroding public trust in President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s administration. 

“We’ve reached the point where no matter how much we lose, we know full well the government won’t do anything for us,” an electrical appliance technician in Cairo, told the New York Times.  

The issue of rolling blackouts previously contributed to widespread discontent under the former administration, which partly enabled el-Sisi to seize power through a military coup in 2013. 

Although widespread protests against el-Sisi, who has been accused by rights groups of suppressing dissent, are unlikely, there are signs of growing discontent.  

Last week, a man was arrested for displaying critical images of al-Sisi on a large screen in Cairo. The man is accused of acting on behalf of the Muslim Brotherhood, labeled a terrorist organization in Egypt. 100 people were also reportedly arrested for calling for a day of protest.