Commenting on the never-ending rumors about Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's impending resignation, someone on Twitter quipped on March 26: “Al-Sisi resigns more times than Mubarak dies.” Hours later, finally ending the prolonged speculation and continuous and suspicious delays, an avalanche of people proclaiming to speak on his behalf and a lot of “What if he actually doesn’t do it?” Egypt’s now former defense chief Sisi formally announced his candidacy for the presidency of Egypt. 

Following a meeting with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), Sisi submitted his resignation to interim President Adly Mansour who notably attended the SCAF meeting. Sisi then proceeded to give his pre-recorded speech on Egypt’s official state media, in a move that some criticized as an abuse of power, position and state resources in a manner that other candidates —well, there’s effectively only one other candidate — cannot hope to emulate, while others defended him in saying that he was a top state official resigning at a critical time.

Either way, Sisi proceeded to speak in what was a very modest visual setting — perhaps a bit too modest. He wore a bare military uniform with his name on it, stripped of all insignia and decorations and even without a beret. A very simple photo of a green natural scene and a flag served as a backdrop as he sat at a desk and delivered his speech. Throughout the speech, he switched between classical and colloquial Egyptian Arabic, a move traditionally used to break any coldness or distance caused from the usage of classical Arabic, meant to engage audiences on a more personal and impassioned level from time to time.

Sisi maintained a tone that attempted to combine resolve and fatherly concern for the nation: looking forward to serve, but familiar and concerned with the challenges ahead. His tone was simple and modest, yet with strength projected predominantly through the uniform and words being said. It appeared to have worked to some extent.