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BLANTYRE — One person was killed yesterday when police clashed with protesters demanding a recount of Malawi’s disputed presidential elections, as the country nervously awaited a court decision on last week’s vote. In the south-eastern town of Mangochi, police fired teargas and rubber bullets at more than a hundred demonstrators who claimed that the election was rigged, witnesses said.
A teenager was “killed by a teargas cannister, which exploded in his hands as he was trying to throw it back at us,” Mangochi police officer Elijah Kachikuwo told AFP.
In the commercial capital of Blantyre, anti-riot police were stationed at strategic areas of the city ahead of a high court ruling on a last-ditch attempt to force a vote recount. Meanwhile, after hearing arguments from both sides, judge Kenyatta Nyirenda told the court: “When the ruling is ready, counsel will be informed.”
There was no immediate indication of when that might be.
The electoral commission had admitted there was evidence of “anomalies” in the vote, but chairman Maxon Mbendera said Thursday the election was “free, fair and transparent and in my assessment, credible”.
He had vowed to release the results by the end of yesterday in compliance with the electoral laws, unless the court intervenes to force a 30-day extension for a recount.
Many of the protesters in Mangochi were members of the People’s Party of President Joyce Banda, who was trailing in third place in early results from the election.
Others were from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), whose candidate Lazarus Chakwera was in second place and has asked the court to order a recount. This has been opposed by lawyers for the leader in the early results, Peter Mutharika (74), the brother of former president Bingu wa Mutharika.
An eyewitness said the Mangochi demonstrators had tried to march to the local district’s government offices but turned violent when they were stopped by police, rampaging through the streets and tearing down campaign posters. — AFP/Nyasa Times/HR.
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