Al-Sisi Sworn as Egypt’s New President

Local Editor

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned on Sunday, hours after being sworn in, that there will be "no leniency" for those who commit acts of violence.

In a televised address to the nation, al-Sisi promised to work toward "reconciliation" but not with those who have "shed blood."

Al-Sisi said there will be "no leniency and truce with those who resort to violence."
"I am looking to a new era built on reconciliation and tolerance... except with those who committed crimes or used violence as a tool," he said.

Moreover, he added: "I am saying clearly that those who shed the blood of the innocent and killed ... the sons of Egypt, they don't have a place in [our] march."
Al-Sisi was sworn in earlier in the day following a landslide election almost a year after Brotherhood President Mohammad Mursi was toppled.
The retired field marshal took the oath of office at the heavily guarded Constitutional Court and then left to attend a reception with foreign dignitaries.
Al-Sisi scored a lopsided victory last month in an election boycotted by Muslim Brotherhood and secular dissidents.

Soldiers and police deployed in force in the capital in anticipation of protests by the battered Brotherhood movement and possible militant attacks.
"I swear by Al-Mighty God to preserve the republican system, and to respect the constitution and the law and to care for the interests of the people; and to preserve the independence of the nation and its territorial integrity," al-Sisi declared in the ceremony broadcast live on television.

Elite policemen stood guard outside as helicopters dropped posters of al-Sisi on dozens of well-wishers who turned up to see the former army commander.
The presidency said he would later host a reception at Cairo's Ittihadiya presidential palace, with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, Arab royals and African leaders in attendance.

Al-Sisi will also sign a transfer of power agreement with Adly Mansour, a chief justice whom al-Sisi had installed as interim president when he ousted Mursi on July 3.
Riding a wave of popularity since then, al-Sisi won the May 26-28 election with 96.9 percent of the vote against his only rival, leftist leader Hamdeen Sabbahi.
Al-Sisi's main challenges will be to restore stability and revive the economy after three years of turmoil, following a 2011 uprising that ousted strongman Hosni Mubarak.
In a televised address after his victory was announced on Tuesday, al-Sisi called on Egyptians to "work to return security to this nation".
He will be the fifth Egyptian president to rise from the ranks of the military, and is expected to reassert the army's grip on politics.

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, who opposed Mursi's Brotherhood, called for a donor conference to help Egypt after the results were announced.

The oil kingpin was to be represented at the swearing-in ceremony by Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, alongside the rulers of Kuwait and Bahrain.
Western nations, which congratulated al-Sisi on his election win while stressing the importance of safeguarding human rights, sent low-level officials or were represented by ambassadors.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team