By Iqbal Tamimi

Cartoonists in Egypt are contributing to this stage of Egyptian politics with humorous illustrations.

In this illustration circulated on line, someone is asking a belly dancer, named Lawahez, about her future and what is she going to do should an Islamist won the elections:

The man: ‘What R U going to do Lawahez that Mursi won the elections?’

Lawahiz the belly dancer replies ‘Surely they will start producing films about Jaahiliyyah (pre Islam) era and they will need people to play the roles of the infidels?

Following the news of Mubarak’s death, once more, the Cyber Sphere is swarming with jokes.

Egyptians are very well known for their sense of humour even in the worst situations. This humour has been occupying social media networks regardless of how the political events turn to be. The new wave of jokes and satirical comments were recycled on the internet through Facebook, Twitter and other on line social media. I took the liberty of translating some, concerning the news of Mubarak’s death last night.

One was accompanied by a photo of Mubarak addressing the Egyptians, ridiculing their overwhelming interest in his health and wellbeing:

‘You are a stupid nation…being preoccupied with my death, even though I have never been preoccupied with your living’.

Another suggests that news about Mubarak’s death is a strategy to preoccupy people and divert their attention from other issues saying ‘Every time the Military Council feels under pressure, Mubarak dies’.

The next joke is about media exaggeration in Egypt. The joke is a hybrid of a caricature, a photo and a satirical comment, reflecting the news of the supposed funeral of Mubarak shown on a television screen, sponsored by seven different local television channels with a sketch of a viewer empty seat and someone saying: ‘ It has been established that Hosni Mubarak, is the first overthrown president ever to watch his own funeral live on TV’.

Another published response online is pointing at the psychological effect of the recurrent news of Mubarak’s death, not on the audience, but on Mubarak himself. It says ‘News reported a relapse in Mubarak’s mental health while he was following the news of his death on TV’.