Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa was on Monday, September 4, sworn in for a second five-year term in office a week after securing a majority – 52.6 percent – of the votes during the presidential elections held on August 23.

The 80-year-old took the oath of office at the National Sports Stadium in the capital Harare after being sworn in by Chief Justice Luke Malaba.

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His inauguration ceremony was attended by the presidents of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique, and Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Rwanda was represented by Senate President François-Xavier Kalinda.

Mnangagwa won 52.6% of the votes cast. His ruling Zanu PF party secured 136 seats in the 210-seat National Assembly.

This will be Mnangagwa’s final term as set by Zimbabwe’s Constitution.

Mnangagwa has been in office since long-time head of state Robert Mugabe was toppled in a military-backed transition in 2017.

The main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party refused to recognize Mnangagwa’s electoral victory claiming that there was rigging and violations of the country’s electoral laws. However, the opposition did not file a petition, arguing that Zimbabwe’s courts were captured by President Mnangagwa and Zanu PF.

The CCC spokesperson, Promise Mkwananzi, said the opposition dispatched envoys on a diplomatic offensive to push for fresh polls and would also pursue mass protests to force fresh elections.