President-elect Sisi tells Egyptians it is ‘time to work’ on rebuilding economy
Former field marshal Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi returns military to leadership in Egypt and vows to take the country to a better future and to restore stability
Egypt’s president-elect, the former army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, told Egyptians it is now “time to work” to rebuild the economy after he was officially declared the landslide winner of last week’s election, restoring a career military man to the country’s top office.
Thousands celebrated in public squares around the country with cheers, fireworks and pro-military songs after the Election Commission officially announced Sisi’s victory with nearly 97 per cent of the vote in an election that it said saw a turnout of just over 47 per cent.
Sisi brings Egypt into a new phase in its tumultuous drama since the 2011 pro-democracy uprising that ousted autocrat Hosni Mubarak after 29 years in power. The following year, Islamist Mohammed Mursi became the country’s first democratically elected president, only to face massive protests by millions against him and his Muslim Brotherhood.
Sisi, then the army chief, ousted Mursi last summer and led a heavy crackdown on the Brotherhood and other Islamists that killed hundreds and jailed thousands more. The now-retired field marshal was elevated to heroic status among his supporters, who hailed his removal of Islamists and saw him as the hope for restoring stability after three years of turmoil.
Sisi now restores a chain of five Egyptian presidents of military background since the 1952 coup against the monarchy – with Mursi the sole exception, not counting two interim presidents.