Thousands attend Museveni swearing-in ceremony

By Patience Atuhaire

More than 4,000 people, including leaders from across the continent, have attended President Yoweri Museveni's swearing-in ceremony in Uganda's capital, Kampala.

Mr Museveni won a highly contested election in January, which main challenger musician and politician Robert Kyagulanyi, known as Bobi Wine, has continued to claim was rigged.

The 76-year-old leader, who was taking the presidential oath for the seventh time, cut a confident and self-assured pose on the podium.

The new five-year term will see him leading Uganda for 40 years, making him one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders.

Supporters of the ruling party, NRM, lined some parts of the stretch between Nakasero State House and Kololo Independence Grounds, where the event was taking place, to cheer on the presidential convoy.

In the last three decades under his leadership, Uganda has made considerable progress in social and economic development.

But the ageing leader has also been criticised for hanging on to power beyond his time, and clamping down heavily on any challengers.

The country has witnessed a wave of repression on the opposition in the past year, with hundreds of opposition supporters detained while many others remain missing.

The authorities deployed heavily armed security soldiers in the capital, Kampala, ahead of Wednesday's event.

Some were also stationed around the homes of top opposition figures.

This article was originally published by BBC News. [Photo: Twitter/Uganda State House]