MALAWI: Political tempers flare ahead of elections

Political tempers have flared in Malawi in the heat of campaigning for the 25 May elections with the opposition accusing the country's electoral commission of bias in favour of President Bakili Muluzi's ruling United Democratic Front (UDF). The electoral commission has objected to an alliance by the two main opposition parties, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the Alliance for Democracy (AFORD). It has appealed to the supreme court after a high court threw out the commission's application for an injunction against the pact. "The UDF fears the alliance between the MCP and AFORD as this poses serious danger to the ruling party's support base in the southern region," political analysts told IRIN on Friday. The electoral commission has also come under attack from the MCP and AFORD over the shambles in the registration process which has forced an extension of the exercise. Both parties have called for the resignation of the commission's chairman, Justice William Hanjahanja, accusing him and his commissioners of inefficiency and discrimination. The MCP and AFORD allege the commission has deliberately not supplied registration materials to the central and northern regions, believed to be the opposition parties' strongholds. Consequently, they want the elections postponed to allow for proper registration to take place in these two regions. The UDF is opposed to a deferment, which would mark the third time the polls have been rescheduled. Malawi held its first democratic elections in 1994 after being ruled by Hastings Kamuzu Banda and his MCP as a one-party state for over 30 years. Muluzi's UDF won those elections by a large margin, claiming more than half of the parliamentary seats. Banda's MCP came second, winning 54 seats with Chakufa Chihana's AFORD coming in third place with 33 seats. See IRIN-SA report 'MALAWI: Election registration process slammed'