Singer Michel Martelly sworn in as Haiti's president

May 14, 2011, 14:45 GMT

President-elect of Haiti Michel Martelly delivers remarks to members of the news media, beside US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (not pictured) at the State Department in Washington DC, USA, 20 April 2011. The former pop singer Martelly is on his first tour in the US as Haitian president-elect. Fifteen months after the January 2010 earthquake that shook the nation, Haiti is still struggling with displaced people and a cholera outbreak. EPA/MICHAEL REYNOLDS

Port-au-Prince - Singer Michel Martelly was sworn in as president of Haiti on Saturday in a ceremony attended by about 2,000 guests, including former US president Bill Clinton.

'This is an historic day for me,' Martelly said after the ceremony. He promised to work for national reconciliation and called on all Haitians to participate in rebuilding the country, devastated by last year's earthquake and decades of political turmoil.

The inauguration comes at the end of a long electoral process, which like nearly everything in Haiti was disrupted by the devastating earthquake that killed more than 220,000 people in January 2010.

'For the first time Haiti's history, a democratically elected president is handing over to a president who has also been democratically elected,' the departing head of the United Nations mission, Edmond Mulet, said.

Among those attending the ceremony, which was held in a wooden building erected in front of the wrecked presidential palace, were heads of state, as well as Clinton, co-chairman of the Haiti Reconstruction Commission.

Also invited were former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier and former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was deposed in 2004. Both were allowed to return to Haiti earlier this year.

Martelly, 50, faces the task of rebuilding the shattered country, the poorest in the Americas, which has been plagued by decades of political turmoil.

Martelly, a right-wing populist whose plans remain vague, rode on his image as a political outsider to the presidency.

The first round of presidential elections in November was marked by chaos and charges of manipulation and corruption. Martelly was ranked third behind former first lady Mirlande Manigat and ruling- party candidate Jude Celestin.

Exit polls and observers indicated that Martelly should have come in second.

Amid ensuing violence, fraud allegations and pressure from the international community, Celestin eventually withdrew. Martelly took his place in the delayed runoff.

The second round was held on March 20, but Martelly's victory was only made official one month later. He got 67 per cent of the votes to Manigat's 31 per cent.

Outgoing president Rene Preval, who had been in office since 2006, could not seek re-election under the Haitian constitution. Preval's party, Inite, will have a majority in the legislature under Martelly.

Political observers have expressed fears that the lack of a parliamentary majority may hinder Martelly's chances of implementing measures urgently needed for reconstruction.

Martelly has made contradictory comments on prosecuting former Jean-Claude Duvalier, who ruled as dictator between 1971 and 1986.

Martelly has said he favours an amnesty to promote national reconciliation, but also that he does not plan to interfere with judicial proceedings against Duvalier, who is under investigation for corruption and human rights violations including thousands of deaths during his regime.

Martelly faces a further challenge in Aristide, who maintains a huge power base. His dislike for Martelly is well known.

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