▁attempt ▁to ▁change ▁the ▁constitution ▁to ▁run ▁for ▁a ▁third ▁term ▁as ▁president . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁months ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁elections , ▁Ch aku amba ▁left ▁the ▁M CP ▁and ▁created ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party ▁( R P ). ▁The ▁R P ▁joined ▁forces ▁with ▁six ▁other ▁parties ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁M g wi riz ano ▁Co al ition . ▁Ch aku amba ▁was ▁selected ▁as ▁the ▁coal ition ' s ▁president ial ▁candidate . ▁According ▁to ▁official ▁results , ▁he ▁placed ▁third ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁election , ▁behind ▁B ingu ▁wa ▁M uth ar ika ▁of ▁the ▁U DF ▁and ▁Tem bo ▁of ▁the ▁M CP , ▁winning ▁ 2 5 . 7 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote . ▁ ▁So on ▁after ▁the ▁vote , ▁before ▁any ▁official ▁results ▁were ▁announced , ▁Ch aku amba ▁claimed ▁to ▁have ▁won ▁the ▁election ▁and ▁said ▁that ▁exit ▁pol ls ▁showing ▁M uth ar ika ▁in ▁the ▁lead ▁were ▁false . ▁M uth ar ika ▁was ▁sw orn ▁in ▁as ▁president ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 4 , ▁although ▁Ch aku amba ▁den ounced ▁his ▁victory ▁as ▁fra ud ul ent . ▁ ▁In ▁early ▁June , ▁however , ▁Ch aku amba ▁dropped ▁his ▁threat ▁to ▁challenge ▁the ▁result ▁and ▁agreed ▁to ▁support ▁M uth ar ika ' s ▁government ; ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁receive ▁a ▁cabinet ▁position , ▁but ▁three ▁other ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁R P ▁did . ▁In ▁February ▁ 2