The United Democratic Front (UDF) national chairman Bakili Muluzi and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leader John Tembo on Saturday took turns accusing the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of planning to rig the May 19 elections and bring chaos in the country should the DPP lose the polls.
But DPP has described the two leader's remarks made at Njamba Freedom Park in Blantyre as "rubbish and a reflection of confused people".
A political scientist at the University of Malawi's Chancellor College Mustafa Hussein watered down the allegations, arguing that they are mere political campaign gimmick.
Muluzi claimed he has information from some cabinet ministers that president Bingu wa Mutharika and his DPP have vowed that they will not accept the results if they lose the polls.
"He is prepared to shed blood in this country. Let him dare that," challenged Muluzi, claiming DPP wants to bring chaos as was the case in Kenya and Zimbabwe.
Muluzi who earlier endorsed Tembo as an MCP-UDF alliance presidential candidate also alleged Mutharika plans to rig the May 19 elections.
"Even if he were to rig the elections, he will not make it. It will not be possible", said Muluzi while claiming that the UDF-MCP alliance will amass four million votes countrywide. The country has 5.9 million registered voters.
Tembo claimed the Mutharika administration has a list of people DPP wants to use in rigging the elections.
"They (DPP) would want to delay the elections because they messed up the voters roll," alleged Tembo.
But DPP spokesman Hetherwick Ntaba challenged Tembo to take the matter to court.
"These are cheap tactics. Let him take an immediate court action", said Ntaba.
He also wondered how Muluzi and Tembo could work together when the two have all along been foes.
Muluzi used to attack Tembo to account for the 1983 deaths of some cabinet ministers and an MP in Mwanza district. Ntaba also alleged that it was Tembo who engineered the downfall of Muluzi as a MCP secretary general during Kamuzu Banda's era.
Said Ntaba: "People are worried that the two have joined hands. They are cheating people that their alliance will work. This is an ill-fated alliance. In fact, Tembo reminded Muluzi that he put him in jail for nine months at the same rally. Do you think Tembo has forgotten that?"
Hussein cautioned politicians in the country to desist from making remarks that may fuel conflicts.
Source: The Nation, 20 April 2009
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