What are the prospects of parliamentary elections?
In late November 2016, a new independent election commission was established that was to within weeks promise to hold transparent elections. Najibullah Ahmadzai, head of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) told a press conference that the commission would get down to evaluating the poll process and introducing amendments on the basis of new laws.
In order to ensure transparency in the coming elections, the list of polling centres would be scrutinised and locations changed if needed. Also, both Afghan and foreign election observers would monitor the voting and counting to prevent fraud.
Two months later, there has been no further news from the IEC.
The good news is that Afghans have not lost hopes of fair and free elections.
Freshta Shahab, a civil society activist in Mazar-e-Sharif says, “The announcement of new members of election commission is a good step that was taken and puts very heavy responsibilities on the shoulders of the commissioners in establishing a transparent electoral process.”
Media activist Husain Ayubi wants the IEC to keep the public informed. “The people have a right to be aware of flow of activities of election commission; the media also have the responsibility to ask about the activities of election commission because (it) has direct link with the destiny of people…”
The IEC has not yet announced the name of a new head of its secretariat. Observers say this is holding up the process of rolling out the promised reforms and long overdue parliamentary elections. Three candidates short-listed by the commission were rejected by the president’s palace and chief executive’s office.
Political analyst Abdul Qahar Alemi thinks it is right that the executive has a say in the appointment since elections require the agreement of both.
Ziaulhaq Amarkhil, the former head of the secretariat of election commission who was accused of partiality had to resign.
The holding of fresh parliamentary polls is imperative for Afghanistan. Atefa Zafari from Ghazni province thinks any further delay will damage parliamentary democracy. Erfanullah Erfan, deputy in the parliamentary secretariat, called for elections to Parliament and local councils within the current year.
Three months
Rafiaullah Bedar, a member of the IEC, says when the election calendar is finalised it will be made public. According to him, the election commission has three months to announce the holding the elections. “In such a short time the working order of the commission has been reviewed, balance of electoral zones specified, 21 million cards and a complete list of voters have been provided and names for the secretariat of the commission were suggested to the government,” he says.
Political activists want the IEC to seek suggestions for reforms from political parties. Abdul Latif Nazari, a university lecturer and political activist believes, “Holding a transparent election and establishing an accurate mechanism (for conducting the process) without consultation with political circles, parties and civil society institutions, is impossible.”
Mohammad Nayeem Ayubzada, head of Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan, reports “serious obstacles” in the way of the election commission’s holding of elections. “IEC and Independent Electoral Complaints Commission are now faced with a shortage of financial resources and cannot spend money without the sanction of the president.” According to Ayubzada, the new members of both commissions “have started their work in a situation that all office requirements, computers, vehicles even the legal documents and electoral procedures have been taken out of their offices”.
He warned against political interference. “We are concerned that they (electoral commissions) would become victims of politics and the strange games of shared government.”
