Egypt’s ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) officially appointed Kamal El-Ganzouri as Prime Minister on Friday and commissioned him to draw up a new interim cabinet.

The appointment of El-Ganzouri, who succeeds Essam Sharaf as prime minister, was first revealed yesterday in an announcement that failed to appease protesters who have been calling on the SCAF and the SCAF-appointed Sharaf government to step down.

Critics say the 78-year-old El-Ganzouri, who previously served as prime minister from 1996 to 1999 under ousted president Hosni Mubarak, is too old for the job. Others reject his appointment due to his closeness to the former regime.

Some anti-SCAF activists, meanwhile, insist that the person of the prime minister is insignificant as long as the military council remains in power.