The 76-year-old leader has been in power since 1986, after bloody civil war.

His rule has been characterized by a crackdown on opposition and voice of dissident and his re-election was marred by violence and alleged malpractices.

“I, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, swear in the name of the Almighty God that I shall be faithful and bear the true allegiance to the Republic of Uganda…” he said, marking the start of his 6th term in office in what makes him the longest-serving leader in the region.

In 2005 presidential term limits were removed in uganda, and in 2017, the removal of the previous upper age limit of 75 was also announced.

Among the leaders who witnessed his swearing Somali counterpart Mohamed Abdullahi and President Samia Suluhu Hassan, of Tanzania as well as Rwanda’s Paul Kagame.

The ceremony was also witnessed by more than 11,000 Ugandans, who had undergone COVID-19 disease tests.

President Museveni won the election that was marred by violence and alleged vote fraud.

His main contender was musician cum politician Bobi Wine who garnered 35 percent of the cast votes, while President Museveni won with 59 percent of total cast votes.

“As Gen. Museveni prepares to illegally swear himself in tomorrow, abductions of Ugandans have intensified. Yesterday Gordon Ssebagala, our comrade was abducted by heavily armed operatives in plain clothes! His whereabouts are unknown. There must be accountability for these crimes,” Wine tweeted Tuesday.

He did not attend the ceremony.

As he was being sworn in, the country’s Monitor newspaper reported that wine’s home and that of firebrand opposition leader Dr Kizze Besigye were surrounded by security officers.

Ugandan security chiefs said the move was pre-emptive, after allegedly receiving intelligence reports of plans to disrupt the swearing-in ceremony.