Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has taken the oath to officially begin a sixth term in office making him the East African country’s longest-serving President.
Mr Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, won a disputed January 14 poll with 58 per cent of the votes, while his closest challenger Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, garnered 34 per cent.
Bobi Wine contested the results but later withdrew his petition.
Security had been increased in the capital, Kampala, ahead of his inauguration. The homes of opposition leaders, Dr Kizza Besigye and Bobi Wine, were surrounded by security operatives as a “preventive measure” following intelligence information that some members of the opposition were allegedly planning to disrupt the swearing-in ceremony, according to the UPDF deputy spokesperson, Col Deo Akiiki.
At least 10 African heads of state and leaders of government have arrived in Uganda to witness the swearing-in ceremony. Among them were Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta, Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania), Évariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi), Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, alias Farmaajo, (Somalia), Salva Kiir (South Sudan), Sahle-Work Zewde (Federal Republic of Ethiopia) and Félix Tshisekedi (Democratic Republic of Congo).
Others are Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zimbabwe), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo (Ghana), Hage Gottfried Geingob (Namibia) and Alpha Conde (Guinea).
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