Egypt's leftist leader and ex- presidential candidate, Hamdeen Sabahy, officially announced on Saturday that he will run for the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for mid-April, state-run news agency MENA reported.

"I am sure about the support of my loyalists," Sabahy told a popular gathering in Cairo, becoming the first one to announce his bid for the country's presidential race.

The Nasserite leader of the Popular Current, which was part of the opposition bloc during the rule of Islamist ex-President Mohamed Morsi, reaffirmed his respect for the police and the army.

Many Egyptians urge army chief and Defense Minister, Field Marshal Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, who carried out Morsi's removal, to run for president and see him as "savior" of the turmoil-stricken country. Yet, Sisi has not officially declared his final decision.

Sabahy had previously voiced support for Sisi in case the latter runs for president.