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Malawi poll marred by rigging, says President Joyce Banda Malawi poll marred by rigging, says President Joyce Banda
(35 minutes later)
Malawi's elections have been marred by "some serious irregularities", including vote-rigging, President Joyce Banda has said. Malawi's elections have been marred by "some serious irregularities", including vote-rigging and computer-hacking, the president has said.
She called for an immediate manual audit of the results. Joyce Banda called for an immediate manual audit of the results.
Mrs Banda faced a strong challenge in Tuesday's election from three other presidential candidates, including ex-Foreign Minister Peter Mutharika.Mrs Banda faced a strong challenge in Tuesday's election from three other presidential candidates, including ex-Foreign Minister Peter Mutharika.
Earlier, a minister killed himself at his home in the capital, Lilongwe, police say.Earlier, a minister killed himself at his home in the capital, Lilongwe, police say.
Deputy Local Government Minister Godfrey was found shot dead inside a locked bedroom. Deputy Local Government Minister Godfrey Kamanya was found shot dead inside a locked bedroom.
His spokesman denied reports that his suicide was linked to him apparently losing his parliamentary seat.His spokesman denied reports that his suicide was linked to him apparently losing his parliamentary seat.
The BBC's Raphael Tenthani in Blantyre says Mr Kamanya left a note asking Mrs Banda to take care of his daughter and provide for her education. However, Mrs Banda released what she said was Mr Kamanya's suicide note which stated that he took his life because he feared being killed by Mr Mutharika's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
'Voting buckets' Plea for calm
Mrs Banda said in a statement that irregularities included: In a statement about the elections, Mrs Banda said that irregularities included:
The Malawi Election Commission (MEC) should address these concerns by doing a manual audit of the entire process, she said. Mrs Banda also accused a party, which she did not name, of infiltrating and hacking the Malawi Electoral Commission's (MEC) counting system.
The MEC should address these concerns by doing a manual audit of the entire process, she said.
"I appeal to all Malawians to continue with their commitment to peaceful co-existence and to remain calm until the Malawi Electoral Commission determines the outcome of the poll results," the president said."I appeal to all Malawians to continue with their commitment to peaceful co-existence and to remain calm until the Malawi Electoral Commission determines the outcome of the poll results," the president said.
Eleven candidates ran against Mrs Banda, but her main challenger is seen as Mr Mutharika, the brother of former President Bingu wa Mutharika who died in office in April 2012.Eleven candidates ran against Mrs Banda, but her main challenger is seen as Mr Mutharika, the brother of former President Bingu wa Mutharika who died in office in April 2012.
The MEC will announce results when 30% of votes have been counted, its chairman Maxon Mbendera said on Wednesday. Voting buckets
The MEC was "not anywhere in the neighbourhood" of that figure, he added. MEC chairman Maxon Mbendera denied their computer system had been been hacked.
Counting was being done manually because the electronic system was "refusing to take the information from the ground where our data clerks are stationed to send the results", chief elections officer Willie Kalonga told the AFP news agency. "Our electronic counting system has crashed, yes, and last night we migrated to our Plan B - manual counting of the results, so I wonder why the People's Party [of Mrs Banda] is complaining since we have not announced any results yet," Mr Mbendera said.
Voting spilled into a second day at 13 voting stations, and thousands queued to cast their ballot. "We are going to give the official results after we have finished tabulation. We expect that in the next two to three days we should have a clear picture," he added.
Voting was still going on at two polling centres in the commercial capital, Blantyre, and one in Lilongwe, two days on from election day, says BBC Malawi reporter Raphael Tenthani.
Voting was disrupted at these centres because of delays in distributing election material, he says.
Frustrated voters set alight one polling station and smashed election material at another.
In some places, voting boxes or lids did not arrive so officials used buckets and plastic wrap, correspondents say.In some places, voting boxes or lids did not arrive so officials used buckets and plastic wrap, correspondents say.
Around 7.5 million people were eligible to vote in the fifth elections since the end of one-party rule 20 years ago.Around 7.5 million people were eligible to vote in the fifth elections since the end of one-party rule 20 years ago.