(Reuters) -Cameroon’s Paul Biya, the world’s oldest ruler, was sworn in for an eighth term as president on Thursday following a disputed election that triggered deadly protests.

In his inauguration speech, the 92-year-old pledged to restore order to the central African nation and blamed irresponsible politicians and the diaspora for inciting unrest.

“As I take office, I fully measure the seriousness of the situation our country is going through. I measure the number and severity of challenges we face. I measure the depth of frustrations, the scale of expectations,” Biya told the audience, dressed in a sombre suit.

Security forces killed 48 civilians during protests against Biya’s re-election, according to data from two U.N. sources.

The government has not responded to requests for comm

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