The US ambassador to Malawi Virginia Palmer was forced to hurriedly leave the main opposition party’s headquarters as police fired teargas at protests outside over alleged election fraud

Supporters of the opposition Malawi Congress Party had gathered in the capital Lilongwe in an ongoing protest campaign after the May 21 presidential election, which their leader Lazarus Chakwera lost.

Ambassador Virginia Palmer said “It was my farewell call and I was saying thank you for the friendship and for the important role that he has done for Malawi over the four-and-a-half years I have been in Malawi

“Just as we finished the meeting, supposedly rocks were thrown and the police responded with teargas.

“There was teargas flying around, but my security people came and we proceeded out without incident.”

MCP activists attest that Chakwera was robbed of victory in the election, which an official count showed he lost by just 159,000 votes.

Chakwera has deserted the outcome as “daylight robbery” and inaugurate a court battle to have the result invalided on the grounds of fraud.

The MCP has said there was correction fluid on many election results sheets while some from polling stations far apart bore the same handwriting.

She also added that “I just call on all parties in Malawi to exercise self-discipline and proceed peacefully while the MCP court case is going forward.

“This is a peaceful country and a democratic country and we all need to respect these standard