Print

Mail

wiki links

Malawi election results spark riots

Supporters of Gwanda Chakuamba, an opposition presidential candidate, protest near the Malawi Electoral Commission's vote-counting center in Blantyre, Saturday. PHOTO: EPA

Opposition supporters rampaged through the streets after electoral officials declared President Bakili Muluzi's designated successor the winner of this impoverished southern African country's third multiparty elections.

The seven-party Mgwirizano coalition protested that Thursday's vote was rigged and maintained that its leader was the rightful winner.

Hundreds of coalition supporters poured into the streets Sunday in Blantyre's crowded suburbs, erecting barricades and setting fire to a local office of the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) party. A gas station and at least two other UDF offices were also looted in the frenzy.

Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Security was high in the city center, and streets were deserted.

Muluzi, Malawi's first democratically elected leader, handpicked Bingu wa Mutharika, his economic planning minister, to succeed him after he failed in efforts to alter the Constitution to allow himself a third five-year term.

"I will sacrifice my life, but I can't let these people steal the people's will."

Gwanda Chakuamba, Malawi presidential candidate

The ruling party's candidate, wa Mutharika, received 35 percent of the vote, compared to 27 percent for John Tembo of the opposition Malawi Congress Party, according to results announced by the Malawi Electoral Commission. Gwanda Chakuamba, who heads the Mgwirizano coalition, took just under 26 percent of the vote, while two other candidates trailed with less than 9 percent apiece.

However, the ruling party failed to retain its parliamentary majority, picking up just 49 of the National Assembly's 193 seats, election officials said. The Malawi Congress Party won 60 seats, the Mgwirizano coalition had 28 and independent candidates took 38. A number of smaller parties accounted for the remaining seats.

Parliamentary voting was postponed in six districts because of errors on the ballot papers.

The announcement of wa Mutharika's victory came after Chakuamba complained of delays in releasing the results. Chakuamba accused the Malawi Electoral Commission of colluding with the ruling party to rig the results and declared himself the winner late Saturday.

"I will sacrifice my life, but I can't let these people steal the people's will," Chakuamba said after the results were announced Sunday.

The coalition would use all available means -- legal and political -- to protest the result, said its general secretary, Ian Nankhuni. He did not elaborate.

Chief electoral officer Roosevelt Gondwe denied any vote tampering, saying it had taken time to verify the count. Ruling party officials also insisted the vote was free and fair, but there was no sign of celebrating.

While voting took place peacefully Thursday, frustration at the delay in releasing results boiled over into the streets of the economic center, Blantyre, on Saturday. Police fired tear gas to disperse crowds and briefly detained 14 people. Protests also occurred in the capital, Lilongwe, and the northern city of Mzuzu.

Thursday's vote was marred by irregularities before it even started. Balloting was postponed by two days after the Mgwirizano coalition protested to the High Court that the voters roll had not been published for verification. It claimed hundreds of thousands of names were missing from the list.

Just 3.1 million of the 5.7 million registered voters cast ballots in the presidential poll, electoral officials said Sunday.
This story has been viewed 2188 times.