CAIRO, Feb 9 (Aswat Masriya) Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Sunday that Egyptians “have their own free will to decide who to choose and put their trust in” in a presidential eleciton expected to kick off in the first half of the ongoing year. 

Egypt’s top military council has given Sisi the green light to contest the presidency, but the army chief is yet to decide whether he intends to run the race.

Sisi gained wide popularity last year when he ousted Islamist President Mohamed Mursi in response to mass demonstrations against his rule and is expected to win by a majority if he did enter the race.

Hamdeen Sabahi, a leftist politician who came third in 2012’s presidential election that brought Mursi to power, announced that he will run late on Saturday. 

Founder of the Strong Egypt Party and former member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, said on Sunday that he will not run in light of the interim government's oppressive practices.