Security was tightened yesterday in the Solomon Islands' capital, a day before parliament was to elect a new leader.
Hundreds of police backed by a multinational peacekeeping force were patrolling Honiara in a show of force to head off any potential civil strife by supporters of candidates in the vote, Deputy Police Commissioner Peter Marshall said.
Manasseh Sogavare -- a combative prime minister who spurred a series of controversies -- was ousted last week by lawmakers in a no-confidence vote brought by the opposition.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Patteson Oti is the government candidate in today's ballot, while former education minister Derek Sikua is the opposition candidate.
Political demonstrations have sometimes devolved into rioting in Honiara in the past, but Marshall said his forces and an Australian-led multinational force known by the acronym RAMSI are well prepared for any possible unrest today.
``We will do our job with support from armed RAMSI soldiers and police, and people must respect the rule of law,'' he said.
Sogavare came to power in April last year in the wake of rioting that devastated Honiara's Chinatown area and helped dislodge then-leader Snyder Rini.
His support as prime minister gradually eroded amid allegations of abuse of power, growing resentment at his verbal attacks on RAMSI and stagnation of the impoverished economy.
RAMSI police commander Denis McDermott said the international forces were operating in support of Solomon Islands police -- not at the behest of political parties: "RAMSI does not get involved in politics."
Sogavare had constantly criticized RAMSI as an Australian-dominated intervention force, though it has retained widespread support for ending ethnic violence.
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