Just five days before the FIA presidential election, a Motor Sport Club founder in Africa has accused a leading member of Jean Todt's campaign of making threats and attempting bribery.

According to the Mail on Sunday, Jack Wavamunno, founder president of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs in Uganda (FMU), is claiming that Surinder Thatthi, president of the Automobile Association of Tanzania and one of Todt's nominated Sport Vice Presidents, made "veiled threats" on the day after nominations for the election were first announced.

Wavamunno, claims that Thatthi - telephoned him twice on 29 August. In the first call Thatthi is alleged to have said that supporting Ari Vatanen would not be in the best interests of himself or the FMU.

In the second call, Thatthi is alleged to have told Wavamunno that the means had been found whereby the FMU's outstanding subscription to the FIA, said to be 2,820 euros, could be paid by a "sponsor" providing the Federation gave its backing to Todt. At the same time, Wavamunno - who is standing against Thatthi to become Africa's representative on the FIA's World Motor Sport Council - was allegedly asked to withdraw his candidacy.

"Surinder Thatthi said it would not be in the interests of me, or the FMU, if I stood against him for the WMSC and the FMU did not vote for Jean Todt," said Wavamunno. "I felt it was a veiled threat. In the second call, he said he was aware there was money outstanding from the FMU's subscription to the FIA and he had a sponsor who could pay that, but only on the condition that I withdrew my candidacy and we gave our vote to his candidate, Todt. I told him the Federation was making arrangements to pay the money and did not need to sell that vote."

Thatthi has denied the allegations, claming he has not spoken to anyone at the FMU since early August and certainly not since the nominations were announced. He admits being aware of the outstanding money owed by the FMU but refutes the claim that he made an offer to get it paid off.

However, former FMU president David Bitalo and current president George Kagimu both claim they also had conversations with Thatthi on August 29 which included the offer to have the outstanding monies paid

The Mail on Sunday claims to have seen telephone records which show that two calls were made in 33 minutes from Thatthi's mobile telephone to Wavamunno and one call to Bitalo on August 29, while a further call was made to Wavamunno on September 11.

Vatanen has continually voiced his concern at the way the election is being run, even to the point of going to the French courts, a move which saw the FIA issue an indignant statement boasting of its integrity. However, the fact remains that many are deeply unhappy at the way the FIA has been acting, what with employees lobbying for Todt - apparently in their spare time - and the secondment of Max Mosley's chief spin doctor, Richard Woods, as Todt's campaign manager.

The question many - though sadly very few within the F1 media - are asking is why are so many senior people within the FIA - people put in place by Mosley - so desperate to ensure Todt succeeds him.