Mubarak sworn in, vows to reform Egypt
(AFP)
Updated: 2005-09-28 08:58

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was sworn in for a fifth term in office after sweeping to victory in Egypt's first contested presidential poll, and vowed to deliver on pledges for reform, AFP reported.

But the swearing-in, which marks the beginning of another six-year term for Mubarak at the helm of the Arab world's most populous country, was marred by a noisy demonstration against him in the streets of the capital.

"I will work with the utmost determination towards the implementation of the programme I proposed during the electoral campaign," Mubarak said after taking the oath of office in a ceremony in parliament.

A video grab shows Egypt President Hosni Mubarak speaking to parliament in Cairo September 27, 2005. [Reuters]

"This election was not the end. What is important now is to realize the aspirations of the people and march forward. We will do this with an inalterable determination to pursue reform."

Canons were fired from the parliament compound after the ceremony.

Under pressure at home and abroad, the 77-year-old Mubarak, the region's longest serving leader after Libya's Moamer Kadhafi, has pledged to embark on greater democratic reform.

Kadhafi was in Cairo for the occasion.

Mubarak, who rules under a state of emergency imposed after the 1981 assassination of his predecessor, Anwar al-Sadat, swept to a landslide victory on September 7 in the country's first multi-candidate poll.

Official results gave him 88.5 percent of the vote, but low turnout meant that those who voted for him represented less than nine percent of Egypt's total population.

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