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Almost a year and a half after President Mohamed Morsi was sworn into power in Egypt, 200,000 protesters returned to Tahrir Square in Cairo, as well as other cities throughout the country, denouncing a temporary decree he issued granting himself absolute power. Protesters chanted, “Morsi is Mubarak . . . Revolution everywhere,” comparing Morsi to deposed former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak whose corrupt government was toppled nearly two years ago by a mass people’s revolution.

The past five days have seen 3 people killed and at least 100 injured as a result of clashes between pro and anti-Morsi protestors.

Morsi, who was a high ranking official in the Muslim Brotherhood prior to becoming President, had said in his swearing in ceremony that “no institution will be above the people.” Yet, in his current decree he has given himself wide ranging powers, allowing himself to be the country’s sole lawmaker by removing Egypt’s prosecutor general.

The vehemence of the protests however, recently forced him to allow the courts to have more oversight of his rule. Morsi has also called for a retrial of Hosni Mubarak as well as others who were arrested for killing protesters during the revolution.

Back in August, Morsi had removed a constitutional document which allowed the military to have legislative powers. His latest decree was issued just one day after President Barack Obama had praised him for his role helping to mediate a cease fire between the Israelis and Palestinians during the recent conflict in Gaza.

Morsi is claiming that the decree is a temporary measure put in place until a new parliament is elected in order to preserve the goals of the revolution and help with transition to democratic rule. Opposition leader Mohamed El Baradei however stated on his Twitter account, “Morsi today usurped all state powers and appointed himself Egypt’s new pharaoh. A major blow to the revolution that could have dire consequences.”

Meanwhile the IMF or International Monetary Fund has threatened to withhold a $4.8 billion dollar loan to the country if the current political situation is uncertain.

GUEST: Ashraf Khalil, author of Liberation Square: Inside the Egyptian Revolution and the Rebirth of a Nation, contributor to Time

Click here to read Ashraf Khalil’s writings on Time Magazine.

Click here to listen to Uprising’s hour-long in-studio interview with Ashraf Khalil about his book Liberation Square in March 2012.