Daniel Chapo took his oath as the country's fifth president before about 2,500 people who endured intense heat in the capital, Maputo.

MAPUTO (Reuters) - Daniel Chapo of Mozambique's long-ruling Frelimo party was sworn in as president on Wednesday at a sparsely attended ceremony after months of protests against his disputed election victory.

Under tight security measures, Mozambique’s new president, Daniel Chapo, was sworn in as the country’s fifth president on Wednesday. Around 2,500 guests, including the presidents of South Africa and Guinea-Bissau, endured intense heat as Chapo took his oath to become Mozambique’s president for the next five years.

Mozambique's new president Daniel Chapo vowed to unite the country upon taking the oath of office under heavy guard Wednesday, as seven more protesters were killed, a local NGO said,

Despite weeks of demonstrations over the election results, the Mozambique Constitutional Council has inaugurated Daniel Chapo as the country’s president. Mr Chapo was sworn in as the 5th president of the Republic of Mozambique on Wednesday during a ceremony held under tight security in Maputo, the country’s capital.

Mozambique’s newly-elected parliament convened Monday in the capital as 210 members took their oaths of office amid a boycott and protests by opposition parties who have disputed the results of the recent elections.

Daniel Chapo, 48, was inaugurated on Wednesday, extending the Frelimo party's half-century of rule in Mozambique, despite weeks of deadly protests over the hotly disputed election results.

Mozambican opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane said he was open to pausing protests that have been hammering the southeast African nation, even as civil servants plan a pay strike.