A video of an enraged tuk tuk driver condemning the state of Egypt's suffering economy has gone viral, underlining growing popular discontent over shortages of food staples.

Filmed in the crowded narrow lanes of a working class Cairo neighbourhood, the video shows the driver - surrounded by locals - condemning the government for spending money on ceremony and pomp while the poor suffer.

He said Egypt's image on television looks like a wealthy European city, but down in the streets it looks closer to Somalia.

The segment, which was originally on the pro-government Al Hayat television channel, had gained 1.5 million views and 44,000 likes on Facebook. It has since been pulled from the network's media sites.

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