British politician urges Commonwealth to send more observers

Meanwhile, Britain's Conservative Party foreign affairs spokesman, Francis Maude, at the weekend called on the Commonwealth to increase the number of its election observers from 44 to 300 or even 500.

"It is essential that observers should stay for at least two or three weeks after the election to reduce the chance of violent retribution," Maude said. He was referring to rural violence which has claimed the lives of 28 people, most of them opposition supporters.

He told a news conference after two-day visit: "It is absolutely clear that what is going on is a deliberate policy of state terrorism which derives directly from the head of state. From what I've heard and seen, it is very hard to see how this can be a free and fair election. There has been gerrymandering, rigging of electoral rolls and widespread intimidation."