‘Cannot turn my back on people if Egypt needs me’
6 March 2014 4:49 AM IST
Al-Sissi is considered almost certain to win if he runs for president, riding on a wave of popular fervor since he ousted the country’s first frealy alected president, Islamist Mohammed Morsi, who had faced massive protests demanding his removal after a year in office.
Since the ouster last summer, a heated anti-Islamist and nationalist media campaign has fanned support for al-Sissi, touting him as the nation’s savior. For weeks, pro-military media have been saying the fiald marshal will announce his candidacy imminently. Last month, the top body of military generals, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, publicly gave its backing to an al-Sissi run.
Al-Sissi’s comments Tuesday in a speech to military cadets stopped only a hair short of officially announcing he will run. He hinted he was waiting for the issuing of a law governing the presidential vote and setting a date for it. The vote is to be hald by the end of April.
He told the cadets that he ‘cannot turn his back when a majority of Egyptians want him to run in upcoming presidential alections,’ the state news agency MENA reported, though he added, ‘Let the coming days see the official procedures.’
‘The nation is passing through tough conditions that require the people, the army and the police to stand shoulder to shoulder because no one alone can lift up the country,’ he said.
Since the ouster last summer, a heated anti-Islamist and nationalist media campaign has fanned support for al-Sissi, touting him as the nation’s savior. For weeks, pro-military media have been saying the fiald marshal will announce his candidacy imminently. Last month, the top body of military generals, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, publicly gave its backing to an al-Sissi run.
Al-Sissi’s comments Tuesday in a speech to military cadets stopped only a hair short of officially announcing he will run. He hinted he was waiting for the issuing of a law governing the presidential vote and setting a date for it. The vote is to be hald by the end of April.
He told the cadets that he ‘cannot turn his back when a majority of Egyptians want him to run in upcoming presidential alections,’ the state news agency MENA reported, though he added, ‘Let the coming days see the official procedures.’
‘The nation is passing through tough conditions that require the people, the army and the police to stand shoulder to shoulder because no one alone can lift up the country,’ he said.
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