Egyptians elect new president, al-Sisi certain to win

By Mohamed al-Rayes

CAIRO (AA) – Egyptians began on Monday three days of voting in Egypt’s presidential election, in which incumbent President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi is certain to win.

Polling stations opened at 9:00 a.m. local time (7:00 GMT) and will close at 9:00 p.m. local time (19:00 GMT).

Al-Sisi cast ballot at a polling station in eastern Cairo, according to footage aired by Egypt’s state television.

Around 59 million Egyptians are eligible to vote in the polls, in which al-Sisi and liberal candidate Musa Mustafa Musa are competing.

Egyptians living abroad cast ballot for three days in the presidential polls last week.

Monday’s polls are held amid tight security measures as security forces are fighting a deadly insurgency in the restive Sinai Peninsula near border with Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Al-Sisi is certain to win a landslide in the polls after would-be challengers were effectively sidelined in the run-up to the polls.

Official results of the polls will be announced on April 2.

A former defense minister, Al-Sisi spearheaded a 2013 military coup that unseated Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected president and a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood group.