This film tells the story of five days in January 2011 when the people of Egypt broke through a barrier of fear they had known for a generation and rose in revolt against their president. Egypt Burning captures those critical moments as history unfolded through interviews with Al Jazeera correspondents on the ground. Their coverage of this popular uprising, which has once again proven Al Jazeera’s indispensable role in today’s global media landscape, made them the target of a state campaign to get their channel off the air.
Anger had long been brewing in Egypt – strikes, unemployment and sectarian tension were on the rise.
Small networks of activists had been agitating against Hosni Mubarak’s autocratic rule for years. But it was only when another Arab country, Tunisia, rose up against its tyrant that the Egyptian activists attracted mass support.
People took to the streets across Egypt demanding political freedoms, an end to state corruption and a better quality of life for the impoverished population.
P U L S E 
THESE POLITICIANS
By Eric Gichira
These politicians hire a mob
To perfect the liar’s anthem;
And our resources they rob
Yet we can’t tame them
Cute peddlers of sweet lies
When they misrepresent fact;
Dressed in colourful ties
Don’t we love their act?
Unprovoked by their inactivity
When the economy is ailing;
Unmoved by their insensitivity
When we discover we’re failing…
And they tell us to laugh
When we’ve tried spending;
Yet the going is tough
And reforms are still pending!
When election doors open wide
They come to fool us again;
We’re tossed on every side
And crushed to more pain!
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Written by
ERIC GICHIRA
aka The Poet of Nairobi
Email: hitpoet@yahoo.com
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