Year into Sisi’s power, Egyptians lament persistent hardships

After a year in power, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s aura of invincibility may be fading as he comes under closer scrutiny from a public growing impatient with the same social inequalities that triggered a mass uprising in 2011. To be sure, Sisi is still firmly in control, with security forces cracking down on dissent, and Western and Gulf Arab powers on his side, pumping billions of dollars into the economy each year to support a strategic ally. But with frustration growing on the streets, the man who could once do no wrong in the eyes of many Egyptians is becoming more cautious in his approach to ruling the Arab world’s most populous nation, evidenced by a recalibration of some policies.

I can’t work. I can’t feed my kids. I’m fed up with this entire country.

Complained a 35-year-old food cart owner at a crowded market in Alexandria.

As army chief, Sisi toppled Islamist President Mohamed Mursi in 2013 after mass protests against his rule, quickly earning praise from many Egyptians who longed for stability after the fall of autocrat Hosni Mubarak in 2011 sparked years of turmoil. On paper, Sisi has already succeeded in economic terms where past Egyptian leaders failed. He has won praise from foreign investors for example for implementing reforms such as cutting fuel and food subsidies and tackling bureaucracy. By cutting these benefits, Sisi has tackled head on issues Mubarak avoided for fear of angering a population reliant on subsidised food and fuel. Sisi has also raised some taxes. These moves have not triggered the kind of mass protests that toppled two Egyptian leaders in three years. But there are growing signs of discontent.

You usually have mounting dissatisfaction when the economy’s growing. This is when people notice there’s inequality, it’s a matter of perception.

Amr Adly, a nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Middle East Center.