On Sunday, the Comoros swore in President Azali Assoumani for his fourth term, bringing the process to a close after a disputed poll in January sparked deadly demonstrations.

Assoumani, a 65-year-old former military ruler who became president in 2006, previously took power in a 1999 coup before giving over to civilians.

He returned to politics and was re-elected in 2016. In January, he won a vote that his opponents claimed was fraudulent, but the court dismissed complaints trying to overturn it as inadmissible.

One person was killed and numerous others were injured in the post-election violence in the country of approximately 870,000 people.

Assoumani struck a conciliatory tone during his swearing-in ceremony in Moroni’s partially-filled 10,000-seat stadium, promising to work with his opponents.

“On this symbolic day, I reiterate my appeal to all the living forces of the nation, the political class, both in power and in opposition, to come together on the essentials in favour of national harmony,” he said.

Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso was joined by equivalents from Madagascar, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, and Angola at the ceremony, which was viewed as “dull” by some attendees.

The opposition did not attend the occasion.

None of Assoumani’s five presidential competitors has formally congratulated him on his victory.

Assoumani has been accused of growing authoritarianism, while his arch-rival ex-president Ahmed Abdallah Sambi has been sentenced to life in prison for high treason over alleged passport sales.