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BLANTYRE. – President Peter Mutharika has warned “a certain presidential candidate” against rigging the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections, saying he will take appropriate action, threatening: “I will go after you.”

Speaking at Chinthemwe in Ntchisi in the central region, President Mutharika said his government has gathered an intelligence report on an opposition party, which he did not mention, that has rolled out plans to rig the watershed elections.

President Mutharika, who is also the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) torchbearer in the May elections, said he is aware that an opposition party intends to rig the elections.

But his claims were apparent insinuations against his estranged deputy Saulos Klaus Chilima, who is in the presidential race on UTM ticket.

He charged: “Akuti wina wabwelesa anthu akunja ndi machine ndi anthu ena ochokela ku Nigeria, ena ku Russia, ena ku Greece. Ndikuziwa kumene ali, kumene kuli machine awo ndikuziwa. (We know the people you have brought from Russia and Nigeria, others from Greece. We have put them under surveillance. We know where your equipment is housed.)”

President Mutharika said the scheme of rigging includes plans to “offset communication for Airtel and TNM” networks.

“I want to warn you that I know what you are doing and I will go after you.Tikufinyani, Ndithana nawe,” charged President Mutharika amid cheers from DPP supporters.

Chilima has been in the news lately bragging that there will be no rigging and branding his competitors as “Afana” meaning amateurs in rigging.

President Mutharika further said the national security apparatus has comfortably put the clandestine activities and rigging experts on the ladder and that they will be apprehended.

“Don’t cheat yourselves that we don’t know what you are doing. We will pounce on you and your team at the right time. You better stop or face the consequences,” President Mutharika charged.

He assured the people that he will protect their votes and allow them to exercise their right to vote freely.

“Don’t worry. As far as am alive, this man’s sinister motive will not come to pass. He should forget about rigging this election. We will beat him fair and sure,”President Mutharika added.

President Mutharika has stepped up his gear canvassing for votes in the opposition stronghold of central region holding 5 to 6 whistle stops in a day.

The President also said his government has performed well and  needs to be in power again to continue the unfinished developmental projects it has started in the country.

There are less than 30 days to go before Malawians  vote in the tripartite elections. – Nyasa Times