Cairo (March 26, 2018): Voting began in Egypt’s presidential election on Monday, a contest which is expected to give incumbent Abdel Fattah al-Sisi an easy win and a second term as he faces almost no opposition.
Polls opened at 9 am local time (0700 GMT) on the first of three days of voting.
Sisi cast his vote in Cairo as the polls opened, state TV reported. The president was among the first voters, shown on Egyptian television casting his ballot at a school in Cairo’s Heliopolis district under tight security.
Security forces were deployed across the country to protect polling booths and armoured vehicles were stationed at several points around Cairo.
The Deash group’s Egyptian affiliate, which has killed hundreds of soldiers and civilians, has threatened attacks on election infrastructure.
On Saturday, two policemen were killed in a car bomb attack targeting the provincial head of security for the Alexandria governorate. The security chief was unharmed.
Some 60 million people in Egypt, the most populated Arab country, are registered to vote on March 26, 27, and 28. Official results are expected on April 2.
They will have the choice between Sisi and Moussa Mostafa Moussa, who registered immediately before the close date for applications, saving the election from being a one-horse race.
Moussa, who has denied he is a “puppet”, had been leading a Sisi re-election campaign until the moment he registered as a candidate.
Other opponents have been sidelined, including former military chief of staff Sami Anan, who was detained in January, shortly after announcing his candidacy.
The military said the reserve general broke the law by illegally declaring his candidacy.
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