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Malawi Military Blocks Protesters From Marching to State Residencies

Lameck Masina

   BLANTYRE, MALAWI - Malawi's government used troops to block marches
   Thursday by groups protesting May's election results. The protesters
   were headed to state residences in major cities to deliver a petition
   demanding the resignation of the head of the Malawi Electoral
   Commission (MEC), Jane Ansah. They accuse her of mismanaging the May
   polls.

   The protesters wanted to deliver their petition in person to statehouse
   authorities because previous petitions delivered through city
   authorities never reached the president.

   But in a letter addressed to Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC),
   organizers of the protests, Wednesday, city authorities said holding
   protests at state residences violates Malawi's laws.

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