Egypts al-Sisi Sheds Uniform, Readies for Presidency

World Egypt People walk past a banner for Egypt's army chief Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in downtown Cairo March 26, 2014. Mohamed Abd El GhanyReuters

In Abdel Fatah Al-Sisis dream, approximately 35 years ago, he chatted with late Egyptian president Anwar Sadat. The two men exchanged pleasantries and Sadat told Sisi he always knew he was destined to lead Egypt. Sisi replied, I also know that Im going to be president of the republic.

Sisi discussed his prophetic presidential dreams during an off-the-record digression in a newspaper interview last year; audio of that portion was leaked last December. Such revelations in just about any other democratic country would have doomed the career of any politician. But Sisi is no ordinary politician and supporters here say the leaks may actually have helped Sisi and burnished his credentials as a child of destiny.

Sisis long-awaited entry into Egypts upcoming presidential race caps a dizzying rise to prominence. Just two years ago, Sisi was a political unknown plucked from comparative obscurity in August 2012 and elevated to defense minister by then-President Mohammed Morsi. Within a year Sisi had ousted Morsi from power in the face of massive street protests. Shortly thereafter, Sisi-mania was in full swing.

The country has been waiting for Sisi to announce his intentions for months. He enters the race as the overwhelmingly frontrunnerbeneficiary of an intense cult-of-personality that is in part manufactured, but also taps into genuine popular support for a military strongman. Posters of Sisis face have blanketed the country for months and a host of political and religious leaders have been lining up to endorse him. In January, pro-military demonstrators in Tahrir Square wore Pharaoh-style gold Sisi masks with no apparent sense of irony about what such symbolism portends for the countrys fledgling democracy.

There is nobody today who has the popularity of this man. That is a fact, says Amr Badr, a prominent local businessman with close ties to the military and an active supporter of Sisis presidential goals. I am convinced that Egypt needs a strong popular president with a great deal of respect. Egypt is no stranger to media-inflated cults of personality. But the sheer intensity of the Sisi worship is somewhat curious given that Egyptians still know very little about the man beyond the bare biographic details.

Hes basically this mystery man. Despite the cult of personality, we dont know that much about him, says Issandr El Amrani, North Africa director for International Crisis Group and a longtime Egypt resident. Obviously he benefits from the love of the military. But beyond that we know very little of Sisi and his personality, temperament and beliefs.

Joshua Stacher, formerly based in Egypt and now an assistant professor of political science at Kent State University, offers a harsher assessment. He doesnt seem to have a political plan. He doesnt seem to have an economic plan. The only thing weve seen him do for the past eight months is launch a war on terror and repress dissent, says Stacher, author of the book Adaptable Autocrats: Regime Power in Egypt and Syria.

Badr, the businessman and Sisi supporter, says the former Defense Ministers personal charisma and communication-style are as much the source of his popularity as his connection to the military. He is seen as one of the people. Hes not an elitist and he has very good body language, Badr says. Hes very simplein a good way. He doesnt use sophisticated language.

Wednesday nights announcementdelivered in full uniform from what looked like a lush gardenwas Sisis first real address to the Egyptian people since his announcement of Morsis ouster last July. This is my last day as a soldier, he said, But I will battle every day for the sake of Egypt.

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Egypts al-Sisi Sheds Uniform, Readies for Presidency