In last appearance in uniform, Gen. al-Sisi announces candidacy for president
Cairo ( AsiaNews) - Gen. Abdel Fattah al- Sisi, the man who led the ouster of the Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, has decided to run for president.
In a long
overdue move, the head of the Armed Forces announced his decision yesterday
in a televised address. A decision he said
he made "in all humility" and to "meet the people's demands". While
resigning from the military ranks (as required by the Egyptian constitution) ,
and speaking "for the last time in uniform", he will continue, " to
fight every day for an Egypt free from terrorism".
His
election as president is almost certain: polls show him and the Military the choice
of 90 % of Egyptians, who are hoping that a strong government might revive the
nation's economy, brought to its knees by the Arab Spring and
terrorism linked to the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) .
A devout Muslim of 59, married with children, Sisi has thus far shown respect for Christians and seasons his discourse with quotes from the Koran. He owes his career to the army, the most powerful organization in Egypt, which since Nasser has chosen the presidents up to Mubarak. On the fall of the latter and with the rise of the MB, he was chosen by Mohamed Morsi as head of the armed forces, cultivating friendships between the Islamists and the military. In this way he succeeded in ensuring that the Islamist constitution - now repealed - would give enormous powers to the military, at the same time, he managed to save military leaders who under Mubarak had fired on the crowd in Tahrir Square from trial.
The people's growing
dissatisfaction with the MB government and the alliance of these with Islamist
terrorists in the Sinai, led to the fall of Morsi, wisely
guided by al- Sisi who - even here - he listened to "the will of
the people".
Since
Morsi's fall, the army has waged a vigorous fight against the MB, arresting
thousands , with hundreds
condemned to death and many put on trial.
To stop the MB, al-Sisi decreed laws against unauthorized demonstrations or those critical of the government, which affect not only the Islamists but also the youth of the Arab spring fighting for a democratic Egypt.
In announcing his candidacy for
president, al-Sisi who has always promised "a democratic transition"
- stated that "extremely difficult tasks ahead for the country" that
will require "hard work and sacrifice".
The
date of the presidential election has yet to be set, but some Egyptian media
say that in all likelihood they will take place in July.Al- Sisi does not seem to have any
strong competitors. The
only other candidate so far is Hamdeen Sabahi, a left-wing politician, who came
third in the presidential election of 2012.
Gen. Sedki
Sobhi has been appointed new Chief of the Armed Forces.
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