MALAWI: Malawians will cast their ballots tomorrow in delayed elections with the opposition already crying foul, raising the political temperature in this impoverished southern African country.
The ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) is expected to extend its decade-long grip on power despite presiding over a period of economic decline, and will be helped by a splintered opposition and the backing of state media.
"I think the UDF is going to win but regardless of the ouctome, there will be opposition complaints about irregularities," said Else Yaffe, an analyst with Pretoria-based regional political consultancy Executive Research Associates.
Gwanda Chakuamba, leader of the conservative Republic Party, heads the seven-party Mgwirizano opposition coalition, which is expected at least to mount a strong challenge.
The opposition parties said on Monday they would contest the presidential and parliamentary poll, but had complained about irregularities in the run-up to the elections to draw attention to their concern about the electoral commission's actions.
Malawians vote separately for their president and their 193-seat parliament, so there could in theory be a president and legislature opposed to each other.
Previous Malawian elections have been marred by violence after opposition parties alleged vote rigging.
President Bakili Muluzi will step down at the end of his second and final five-year term after the election.
His handpicked UDF successor, economist Bingu wa Mutharika, is favourite to win but Chakuamba and another opposition politician, Brown Mpinganjira, are leading the challengers.
Else Yaffe said the Presbyterian Church had told its members not to vote for the UDF - which could spell trouble for the ruling party as many Malawians are devout and conservative Christians.
Poverty, an AIDS pandemic, food shortages and opposition anger overshadow a poll that will see barefoot peasants trudging to remote booths to vote in the country's third election since the return of democracy in 1994. Many will be hungry as drought has stricken the normally fertile land.