Ugandan President Museveni has been sworn in to begin his sixth term Uganda News

The event comes after the bloodiest crackdown and allegations of irregularities ahead of the election over the years.

Ugandan Yoweri Museveni has been sworn in for his sixth term, as police surrounded the house of Bobi Wine, the main opposition opponent, who called the inauguration “false”.

Museveni, who won the election again in January, despite widespread rumors, took the oath of office on Wednesday at a ceremony in the capital Kanpala, broadcast on national television and was attended by several African heads of state and other foreign officials.

The 76-year-old man, wearing a dark blue suit and a wide-brimmed hat with his mark, promised to give “true allegiance” to the country he has ruled uninterruptedly since he took power as head of the rebels in 1986.

The victory in January was overshadowed the bloodiest repression before the election over the years, opposition candidates forcibly barred the campaign and security forces killed dozens of protesters.

Bobi Wine, who won second place in Museveni’s vote, said he exchanged the vote. Police and soldiers “besieged” his house on the outskirts of Kanbala and prevented him from leaving.

“Dictator Museveni has vowed to steal the election and oust Ugandans, and he is fearful of the people against the fake,” the 39-year-old parliamentary singer told AFP news agency.

“Even if he swears, we will continue to fight to get him out of power by peaceful means and he will come soon.”

Kizza Besigye, an opposition veteran who was controversial and often violent in the four presidential elections he lost to Museveni, was also placed under effective house arrest.

Police spokesman Fred Enanga described the measures taken to protect Bobi Wine and Besigye as “normal”.

“According to the reports, some people wanted to cause interruptions at the sworn ceremony and we took steps to provide security to certain leaders, including opposition leaders Bobi Wine and Besigye,” he said.

“This is a normal security implementation for VIPs.”

However, Enanga said Bobi Wine intended to hold a parallel swearing-in ceremony and that this would be “illegal and treacherous and that the police would not allow him to do so.”

Bobi Ardoa he questioned the outcome of the election in court but later withdrew the request, saying the judiciary had piled up in favor of Museveni.

In March, he called on Ugandans to “stand up peacefully and unarmed” to protest Museveni’s continued rule. Since the election, the opposition has complained that there have been security forces kidnapped their supporters.