Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, 81, has been sworn in for a seventh term, extending his 40-year tenure following a landslide victory in controversial January elections.
One of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, Museveni took the oath of office on Tuesday at an event at the Kololo Independence Grounds in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, while being cheered by thousands of attendees.
The election in January took place amid a nationwide internet blackout and reports of intimidation and abductions of the opposition.
Museveni won 71.65 percent of the vote, according to Uganda’s Electoral Commission.
Opposition leader Bobi Wine, an entertainer whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, received 24.72 percent and said “massive” ballot stuffing had taken place.
Since taking office in 1986, Museveni has twice changed the constitution to remove term and age limits.
The former rebel leader once said Africa’s problem was leaders who overstayed their welcome.
He is credited by Ugandans with overseeing rapid economic growth and ending a period of post-independence chaos that followed the end of British colonial rule in 1962.
Museveni first came to power as a rebel leader in 1986 but since then has won seven elections.
He is among the few African leaders in power for more than 40 years. Others include Congo-Brazzaville’s Denis Sassou Nguesso, Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang and Cameroon’s Paul Biya.
In his address, Museveni said that his government would use revenue from planned oil production to grow the economy and alleviate poverty.
African leaders who attended the ceremony included Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Félix Tshisekedi, South Sudan’s Salva Kiir and Somalia’s Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Uganda has one of the world’s youngest populations, with the majority of the people having known no other president.
Museveni has not indicated when he intends to retire, but analysts say this is likely to be his last term.
