Speculation about a government reshuffle in Egypt is rife, though nobody knows when it will take place. It will wait until President Hosni Mubarak returns from medical treatment in Germany, but might be delayed until the ruling National Democratic Party holds its annual congress in September.

Embattled Prime Minister Atef Ebeid tries hard to give the impression that his government is up to its ears in work. He holds one meeting after another with the local media. Five years in office earned him the public's dismay and scathing criticism in the media. He seems anxious to hold meetings and make promises. However, he seems alone in his zest.

Since the news of the reshuffle broke, government ministers and provincial governors have been feeling jumpy. Officials, widely expected to be sacked, have second thoughts about their agendas. Some have reportedly ferried personal paper and belongings from their offices to their homes. Their assistants and petty employees, unsure about the near future, are dragging their feet over ministerial business. Senior aides to beleaguered ministers are wary of talking to the media or keeping a high profile lest their vulnerable bosses retain their posts in the new reshuffle and punish them for anticipating their replacement. This state of uncertainty is taking its toll on the public. The jitters have ground several ministries, including those rendering public services, to a standstill. The weary public hopes that the shake-up will come soon and end the bureaucratic muddle and stagnation.