US embassy cable - 04LILONGWE333

UNCLAS LILONGWE 000333 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, PINR, MI, Political Issues 
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 
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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