Egypt 's former military chief Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was sworn in Sunday as President , vowing to lead the country through important changes . In its next phase , Egypt `` will witness a total rise on both internal and external fronts , to compensate what we have missed and correct the mistakes of the past , '' he said . Despite the political upheaval Egypt has faced in recent years , el-Sisi celebrated the transition from interim President Adly Mansour . `` In the long history that goes back thousands of years , our homeland did not witness democratic transfer of power . Now , for the first time , the President-elect shakes hands with the outgoing President , and together they sign a power transfer document in an unprecedented occasion , '' he said in an address in front of the Supreme Constitutional Court 's General Assembly in Cairo . El-Sisi won 96 % of the vote in last month 's presidential election for a four-year term . When he was declared the winner last week , a boisterous celebration erupted in Cairo 's Tahrir Square , filled with fireworks and balloons bearing his image . Military and security personnel watched from the edges as crowds danced and sang . Washington is looking forward to working with el-Sisi `` to advance our strategic partnership and the many interests shared by the United States and Egypt , '' the White House press secretary said last week . The election was called amid political turbulence that saw Mohamed Morsy -- the country 's first democratically elected President after the ouster of longtime leader Hosni Mubarak -- removed from power in a July military coup . El-Sisi , who was army chief at the time , stepped down from his military post this year to run for President . The White House said while it is pleased that international observers were allowed to participate in the election , `` we also share concerns raised by observation groups about the restrictive political environment in which this election took place . '' `` As Egypt looks toward parliamentary elections later this year , we urge the government to consider the recommendations of the observer groups on ways to improve the administration of future elections , '' the White House said . El-Sisi 's sole opponent , Hamdeen Sabahy , received 3.9 % of the vote , the country 's election commission said . Sabahy conceded defeat but raised questions about the political process . Allegations were made that Sabahy campaign representatives were attacked and detained , and that el-Sisi 's representatives were allowed inside polling stations , Egypt 's state-run Ahram Online news agency has reported . `` We can not give any credibility or ratification to the announced numbers of turnout or results , '' Sabahy said last month . `` The announced results are an insult to the intelligence of the Egyptians . ''
Abdel Fattah El-Sisi : Egypt will `` rise '' to `` correct the mistakes of the past '' Ex-military chief takes the oath of office for a last year term . Ahram Online won 96 % of the vote in four-year presidential election . Cairo 's first democratically elected president removed in coup four-year .