Zambia's new leader warns protesters

Mr Mwanawasa claims he is the legitimate leader

Zambia's new president Levy Mwanawasa has warned opponents that protests against his leadership will not be tolerated.

The ruling party's Mr Mwanawasa took power after narrowly winning an election held on 27 December, but opposition parties have claimed that fraud and ballot rigging had swayed the result.

Mr Tembo says the fight will continue

The 10 opposition parties boycotted Mr Mwanawasa's swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday and are threatening to stage mass street protests.

The United States has told them to provide evidence to back-up their claims of vote-rigging.

Speaking to Reuters news agency, Mr Mwanawasa said any such protests would be regarded as treason and punished by police.

"I am a lawfully elected president of Zambia and anyone seeking to disrupt that process of law is guilty of treason," he said.

Street riots

Mr Mwanawasa added that protestors could be prosecuted and, if convicted in court, the offence carried the death sentence.

"I leave it to the police. I have given instructions to the police to proceed the way they deem fit," he added.

On Tuesday and Wednesday police and protestors clashed in the capital Lusaka and the cities of Kitwe and Ndola.

At least 34 arrests were made and a dozen people were seriously injured, police said.

Mr Levy's inauguration as president on Wednesday was delayed for hours as a judge considered an opposition petition to stop it.

High Court Judge Peter Chitengi said that Zambia's constitution only allowed challenges to the presidential election 14 days after the winner had been named.

But he said that the opposition claims did have some merit.

Election discrepancies

Christon Tembo, who heads the Forum for Democracy and Development Party (FDD), vowed the opposition would continue with protests both on the streets and in the courts.

"We have been left with no choice but to mobilise our people throughout the country and intensify protests... until we bring sense to the new government which wants to install itself shamelessly," he said.

Mr Tembo, a former army commander, led last year's successful campaign to stop outgoing President Frederick Chiluba from changing the constitution and seeking a third term.

Michael Meadowcroft, the head of an EU delegation monitoring the elections, said his team was investigating "a number of anomalies" surrounding the elections.

"There are a large number of discrepancies between the parliamentary and the presidential elections," he said.

But Mr Mwanawasa has criticised the EU monitors, saying "their action was interference."