“The winner of the presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt is Mr. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.” These are words many Egyptians do not want to hear again after having heard them echo loudly for two years since his first day as president-elect.

“If the will of the Egyptian people requires me to run for another term, I will so do," said Sisi, hinting at his intention to run for a second term in office in a talk Aug. 23 with editors-in-chief of national newspapers.

These words are reminiscent of a statement given by Sisi in the aftermath of the ouster of former President Mohammed Morsi on July 3, 2013; Sisi, the minister of defense, announced his resignation from his military post and intention to run for president to meet the people’s demand. “I will only run for president if the people demand it and after my army authorizes it,” Sisi said on Jan. 11, 2014.

Sisi’s hint at planning to run for a second term was met by countless waves of anger and sarcasm by Egyptians who have endured a period of economic deterioration. While aid and monetary support has been flooding in from Gulf states since Sisi took office in 2014, many of these funds were spent on illusory projects. The only results Egyptians witnessed from these projects were price increases — especially in imported food commodities — with the budget deficit widening to 9.8% of the gross domestic product, the unemployment rate exceeding 40% and more taxes imposed on the poor who already suffer from the high costs of living.