2050. this is steve happy news africa coming up in the next 15 minutes and preset into demonstrations. thousands have been out on the streets in 3 cities they're disputing the results of the may 21st election that's all that elected they say they want this to stand. on their pro want to do justice to resign. and will take you into one of symbolic ways maximum security prisons activists say the country's jails violate the rights of the people they house.

and christine wonderwall come to africa i'm glad you're choosing then and president it seems in malawi as thousands of people rally against the results of last month's disputed presidential elections police fired tear gas to protest as demanding the resignation of the head of the country's electoral commission who they say has dismissed allegations of voting fraud not incumbent president. narrowly won that of the 2 main opposition parties have challenged the result. was. the scene outside parliament in long way on wednesday in the last few days thousands have demonstrated across the country and on usual side in an otherwise peaceful and stable country. the longest a stronghold of the opposition malawi congress party they say last month's presidential. the election was rigged and they've been robbed of their victory

clashes have spread to the 3 main cities opposition groups vow to keep pressure on the government i want to join my audience because malawi is across this country are there they're angry and disappointed that a matter in which they in management of the election results were conducted and we want everyone involved in justice to resign and get out the opposition has filed a challenge to the election results with the colts and civil rights activists say the electoral commission has not dealt properly with more than 100 different election related complaints they demanding the dismissal of the electoral commission. we are not siding with anyone who wants a model wheels to help democracy model democracy i don't know if there was little i don't know are answers i could also model car my mother load how to load or am i going to do a little of why i want to live i thought why the entire united motherlode all who

design where did truth when the popular anger is part fueled by the di economic situation in an exclusive interview before may's election and the president said he could offer no quick fixes that the thing is ok on history for a frustrated no nor drop what or drop or drop. rotary thus why i started getting you committed to go court you were going to. drive the government overnight. the president is now reaching for calm and accusing the opposition of organizing illegal protests but up service say with many demonstrators mobilizing spontaneously this current search and on rest more resembles a popular uprising was was and that story we'll keep our eyes on here at the africa now an extortion is in zimbabwe

where activists are pressing the government to reform the country's prison system rights groups say the country's jails are overcrowded and a shortage of medicines food and other basics violates the rights of inmates i'll be talking to a prison reform activists in a moment but 1st here's a look into one of them bob is most notorious prisons. good ruby maximum security prison one of them bob was 46 jails. the men section here was meant for a 1300 inmates it currently holds almost double that number. convicts and wardens alike be mown packed cells and crumbling facilities water supplies eretz hc and there is a shortage of food and medication some inmates complain the cells are infested with lice and other vermin at the clinic in the women 6 inmates

a basic pain killers and antibiotics and possible to come by meaning prison as risk dying from easily treatable conditions. i'm a child be positive. and the drugs for the are available but the other medicines like antibiotics doxycycline and paracetamol are not available at all. lawmakers recently visited ruby voicing concern about the state of the prison zimbabwe's lawyers for human rights has condemned the quote deplorable conditions which it says expose the inmates to illnesses and psychological trauma. frisson conditions in zimbabwe have long been a dice state but the issue has resurfaced in the public domain again after that parliamentary committee visited in the prison you just saw in our reports now earlier i spoke to michelle in how to she is

a legal practitioner for the human rights in g o 4 i asked her what the most urgent issues are. thank you very much for having me on the issue at hand right now the prison conditions have been having currently the overcrowding of the issues to do with economic social and cultural rights particularly food or to health sanitation those issues really need to be looked into particularly also their reintegration off the field up after they've finished having these sentences these are particularly the issues that need to be looked into currency in zimbabwe in the correctional system right so i wondered in your engagement with the authorities on these issues what kind of reception you're getting we know that shortly after he became president and assume that god will granted him amnesty to about 3000 prison is and that was a big as i understand to decongest the country's jails is this something that he's

a willing to work with you and organizations like yourselves on. absolutely our own basement has been pretty good we recently had a roundtable discussion 1st of 4 with civil society organizations that are working within the prison sector we also had a run to us these run table discussions where we had parties to make is discussing beds in as much is granting amnesty or do you can just in the prison is probably a short term basis to other issues that need to be looked into we recommend the old board which is established in terms of the prisons acts to actually be put into place in order that in the long term we have those of us serving longer sentences put on licensed release so that we don't have. prisons as well as looking into training of prison officers or the correctional officers that are actually working

within the prison sector to have a more human rights approach to much of the u.n. standards so i would say with their reception will moving in the create direction in zimbabwe right i mean let's talk about zimbabwe and the current economic climate this is a country where the man in the streets is struggling to get by just basic things like grid and even water in some cases do you find that the prison is all people in the country's jails really become the last of the government's worries in a in an economic climate such as what the country is and the right now. absolutely i agree with you in terms that it's just generally the ordinary citizen is finding it difficult to find the basic things that they need more someone who's enough honorable states where they're at the hands of the states particularly when the saving the symptoms right now would say beyond the economic issues the government still needs to prior to his budgeting for the prison sector as

a whole because beyond the current to me being in a place that it is policy. you need to be in place in order that the prisoners actually have something in terms of upholding the human rights so it's not just a matter of the economic the economic decline but also we need this is in place so government needs to move in the correct direction of putting policies in place and also looking at the price to crime is that are required for the prison sector especially when there is a large population currency. that was michelle from the zimbabwe human rights in geo form speaking to us about prison reform in zimbabwe mauritanians food for a new president on saturday in what is said to be a landmark election the country is expected to see its 1st peaceful transfer of power since independence from france in 1960 president adel as he is is stepping

down after serving 25 year term since he took power in a coup in 20086 candidates vying to replace him. taking to the stage and ready to take off ace mohamed. looks set to become mauritania's next president. he's the current president chosen candidate and has pledged to build on the party's successful containment of islamist insurgents. know what programs 1st point to security the country's security comes 1st. and mauritania has managed to maintain stability more so than its neighbors but for many of the 4500000 people in the vast desert country there are other issues to contend with. we the people are suffering we're being wronged there is no work people employ you for a miserable salary then tax collectors take what you have to take from.

mauritania democracy has never existed young people have had enough many of left over government opponents such as artists who denounce the state they all left they all the scape because there are no equal rights as soon as you say something you shouldn't you end up in prison. we've had enough. we are ready to do anything even to give our lives to change this country for everyone has to be equal. but it is all. of the 6 candidates in the running only former prime minister city mohammad has a real chance of chasing top candidates. or it is that this you have suffered but you can put an end to the suffering you must end this suffering on saturday and vote for change. some. real change is unlikely to come from the election but the prospect of mauritania's

1st ever peaceful transition of power is progress in itself. and that is it for now from d.w. news africa you can catch all our stories on our website and facebook page today will leave you with images of the gold market in the sudanese capital which has reopened after staying closed through the race taking the scenic side i.

take it personally. with. me and some special. treats for. the bulk of the foot long line hijacking. where i go wrong the news is being hijacked journalism itself has become a reality show it's not just good versus evil posts for a while. in countries like russia china church people or childhoods and if you're a journalist and you try to get me to.