New demand for Malawi poll re-run

Mr Mutharika was hand-picked by outgoing President Muluzi

A second opposition group in Malawi has filed a legal challenge to last week's presidential elections.

The former ruling Malawi Congress Party says it wants a review of the whole electoral process. At least four people have died in protests at the results.

A seven-party coalition has already asked the courts to order a re-run of the poll, claiming "massive irregularities".

Election observers have said the poll was "free but not fair."

MCP vice-president Nicholas Dausi told Reuters news agency that its presidential candidate John Tembo was the true winner of the election.

Mr Tembo came second, while the MCP won the most seats in parliament.

Some of the requirements of the democratic process have been met, but others have not Commonwealth observers

On Tuesday, Charles Mhango, lawyer for the Mgwirizano coalition said: "The irregularities are quite massive; not even recounting will do."

The results gave the presidency to ruling party candidate Bingu wa Mutharika.

Mgwirizano candidate Gwanda Chakuamba came third in the official results but has declared himself the winner.

'Factually incorrect'

Mr Mhango said that at the time the results were being published on Sunday, several polling centres were yet to declare their results.

A previous Mgwirizano court case led to the High Court postponing the election by two days, due to problems with the voters' roll.

ELECTION RESULTS PRESIDENTIAL RACE Bingu wa Mutharika, UDF: 35% John Tembo, MCP: 27% Gwanda Chakuamba, Mgwirizano: 26% NEW PARLIAMENT MCP: 59 seats UDF: 49 seats Mgwirizano: 27 seats Independents: 38 seats Others: 14 By-elections needed in 6 seats Turnout: 52% Source: Malawi Election Commission Profile: Bingu wa Mutharika Q&A: Was it fair?

At his inauguration on Monday, Mr Mutharika said all observers had declared the election free and fair.

But chief EU observer Marieke Sanders-ten Holte said this was "factually incorrect".

"In no place in our preliminary statement issued on May 20 did we use either the word 'free' or the word 'fair'", she said.

"Rather our overall assessment at this point was that while the elections were peacefully conducted... they were marred by serious short-comings in the electoral process."

The EU "now urges the Malawi electoral commission to rapidly publish detailed results down to the polling station level."

Commonwealth observers issued their final statement late on Tuesday.

"The conclusion we have reached is that the voters were free to express their wishes on election day... but because of the problems with the register, the bias of the state media and the abuse of incumbency, the process prior to election day was unfair," it said.

"Some of the requirements of the democratic process have been met, but others have not."

African Union observers also criticised the absence of a "level playing field" in the election.

Olive branch

Mr Mutharika's United Democratic Front won 49 seats in the 193-seat parliament and so needs the support of other groups if the president is to have parliamentary backing.

The opposition says the polls were rigged

In earlier comments, MCP leader John Tembo told the BBC's Network Africa programme he had no intention of supporting the government and would hold talks with other opposition parties.

In his inauguration speech on Monday, Mr Mutharika said he was ready to work with the opposition and urged them to "bury the hatchet" and move forward.

A former World Bank economist and planning minister, Mr Mutharika was hand-picked by outgoing President Bakili Muluzi, who is bowing out after two terms as leader of one of the world's poorest nations.

Election officials deny vote-tampering.

Free and fair elections could be key for Malawi's capacity to secure development aid to deal with poverty and Aids, which affects 14% of the population.