Luanda, Sep 16 (IANS): The President-elect of Angola Joao Lourenco took the oath of office for a second term as the nation's President at a ceremony held in Luanda, the capital of Angola.

Joao Lourenco of the ruling People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) took the oath of office on Thursday in the presence of at least 12 heads of state and dozens of other representatives, Xinhua news agency reported.

The defence and security forces have a considerable presence in the main streets and avenues of Luanda during the inauguration day.

The MPLA was declared on August 29 the winner of the 2022 general elections held on August 24, by gaining 51.17 per cent of the votes cast, while the nation's largest opposition party, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), gained 43.95 per cent of the total votes cast, according to the National Electoral Commission (CNE).

According to the final results, the MPLA won 124 of the 220 National Assembly seats. The UNITA finished second with 90 seats in parliament.

The remaining parties such as PRS, FNLA and the PHA elected two deputies each in the National Assembly. The elected deputies will be sworn in on Friday.