MULUZI WARNS INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVERS

UNCLAS LILONGWE 000333 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM PINR MI SUBJECT: MULUZI WARNS INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVERS REF: A. LILONGWE 326 ¶B. 03 LILONGWE 1202 ¶1. (U) President Muluzi warned international election observers not to interfere in the electoral process at a political rally on April 25. Muluzi said the observers' duty "is not to interfere with the election process and consequently decampaign (his) government." Claiming to have names of individuals already wrongfully meddling in the elections, Muluzi said he will order these individuals to leave the country if they continue to meddle. ¶2. (SBU) The President's warning came shortly after the EU Observer Team, the only international observation team in country, publicly raised concerns about the ruling United Democratic Front's (UDF) use of state resources in the campaign and the state-owned media's continuing bias in favor of the ruling party (reftel A). EU Deputy Chief Observer Alister Baird commented to poloff, "While the media has exaggerated the President's statements, Muluzi should not have said what he said. The allegations are completely unfounded." Baird said the EU Observer Team plans to deal with the problem immediately, before it becomes "a storm in a tea cup." COMMENT -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Muluzi is unlikely to ask any international observers to leave the country because of the international political fallout that would ensue. He likely made his statements to lay the foundation to discredit the EU Team's final report, which will surely include statements about the lack of a level playing field in the electoral process. DOUGHERTY