In the aftermath of the 2011 Arab spring, Egypt has been known for protests. Usually, these protests are to stand up to a crackdown on civil rights and dissent by the government. But this time, it’s a little different.

Egyptians are speaking up against the government’s frivolities after Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, president of Egypt, had a two-mile red carpet rolled out for his motorcade as he drove to commission homes in 6th of October City, Cairo. The red carpet is estimated to have cost over $200,000.



The pomp and fanfare of the occasion was particularly noteworthy for protestors because the homes being commissioned by the president were built for the city’s poorest people. It also further highlighted how disconnected some African leaders are with the realities their citizens face daily.

According to the UN, a quarter of Egypt’s population lives below the poverty line. Unemployment rates are also on the rise, up to 34% among young people who constitute two thirds of the total population.