Zambia has sworn in President Edgar Lungu

Zambia has sworn in President Edgar Lungu amidst protests by the opposition, claiming that the polls were rigged.

The inauguration was held at a Chinese-built sports stadium in the capital, with regional dignitaries including Regional leaders, President Robert Mugabe of neighbouring Zimbabwe in attendance.

Other African leaders in attendance were; Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni himself who has been in power for at least thirty years, Tanzania’s John Magufuli and Botswana’s President Ian Khama among other dignitaries.

Lungu´s Patriotic Front (PF) party was declared winner of the poll with 50.3 percent defeating opposition candidate Hakainde Hichilema who polled 47.63 percent of the votes cast.

Despite claims by the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) that the August 11 polls were a fraud, the Constitutional Court ruled in favor of the incumbent.

Under the country’s current laws, the opposition had seven days to petition the polls results to nullify Lungu´s victory. The UPND said they were not given a fair opportunity to present their case at the country´s highest court. They accused the judges of collecting bribes from the ruling PF party.

Meanwhile tough challenges await the new leader in a country that has been deeply divided along tribal lines.

However in his inauguration speech on Tuesday, has called for national unity.

President Lungu first came to power in 2014 following the death of Zambia’s former President Michael Sata, after beating opposition candidate Hichilema by only 28,000 votes.