admin
BLANTYRE – Malawi police fired teargas to disperse dozens of rioters in the lakeshore district of Mangochi on Friday, as the country nervously awaited the release of results from last week’s disputed presidential vote.
Over a hundred people “are burning tyres along the roads of Mangochi township,” police spokesman for the city of Rodrick Maida told AFP.
“They are saying the election was rigged. We are dispersing them using teargas,” he added.
Other reports claim that Malawi Defence Forces has deployed soldiers to help the police maintain peace and order.
Police said the protesters in Mangochi were members of the People’s Party of President Joyce Banda, who is trailing in third place in early results from the election, police sources told AFP.
However, Nyasa Times reports that Mangochi is a stronghold of United Democratic Front (UDF) presidential candidate Atupele Muluzi who is trailing on fourth position from the unofficial results.
Others were from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), whose candidate Lazarus Chakwera is currently in second position and is also calling for a recount.
“MCP cannot accept these results because they are fraudulent,” MCP vice president Richard Msowoya said.
“We cannot allow people to steal our vote just like that and we have evidence and agree with President Banda that the election has been rigged,” Msowoya added.
Early results show a lead for Peter Mutharika (74), the brother of former president Bingu wa Mutharika.
Hundreds of kilometres to the west, anti-riot police were stationed at strategic areas of the largest city Blantyre, as the High Court was due to rule on whether results should be postponed.
Judge Kenyatta Nyirenda took over the election case after Judge Healey Potani yesterday recused himself.
The electoral commission has admitted having come across evidence of “anomalies”, but chairperson Justice Maxon Mbendera said 99 percent of the voting was “trouble-free”.
He has vowed to release the results by the end of Friday in compliance with the electoral laws, unless the court intervenes to force a 30-day extension for a recount.
But Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party has teamed up with the electoral commission lawyers to prevent a 30-day extension.
Malawi was forced to deploy the army on the first day of polling last week after delays in opening the polls led voters to riot and burn down at least two stations.
The violence marred an election that was seen as the first true test of Banda’s scandal-tainted rule.
Meanwhile, Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, has welcomed the announcement by the MEC that it planned today, which is within eight days from the last day of polling as required by the law, unless directed otherwise by the relevant court.
The statement further says, “The Secretary-General has taken positive note of the MEC’s desire to follow due process and respect the rule of law, as well as to investigate and redress the irregularities that have come to light. He calls on all stakeholders to continue to co-operate with and support the MEC in this regard at this critical time.”
Mr Sharma reiterated that due process and the rule of law should be upheld in addressing any electoral challenges or disputes.
Mr Sharma reaffirmed his hope that the people of Malawi will remain calm and maintain public order, and allow the electoral process to be properly concluded.
“It is in the interest of the nation that the stakeholders in Malawi resolve any differences peacefully, through dialogue, and that they approach the outcome of these elections in a conciliatory manner,” Mr Sharma said. – Commonwealth News and Information Service. – AFP/Nyasa Times/Commonwealth News and Information Service/HR
Online Reporter