US Secretary of State John Kerry in a surprise visit to Kabul sought to allay doubts about the continuation of the national unity government beyond September. But questions remain.
At a joint press conference with President Ashraf Ghani on April 9, Kerry said, “Let me make this very, very clear
US Secretary of State John Kerry in a surprise visit to Kabul sought to allay doubts about the continuation of the national unity government beyond September. But questions remain.
At a joint press conference with President Ashraf Ghani on April 9, Kerry said, “Let me make this very, very clear because I brokered the agreement: there is no end to this agreement at the end of two years, or in six months from now… This is an agreement for a unity government, the duration of which is five years.”
Under the agreement the government was to call a loya jirga within two years on “changing the post of chief executive to prime minister”, which would require a constitutional amendment.
Some politicians have been airing the opinion that the life of the national unity government was consequently only for two years and fresh elections would be held.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting two days after Kerry’s remarks, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah took on critics of the government. He said he was “astonished” by the views that have been expressed. “Our minimum expectation was that these people would have read the agreement of government of national unity,” he added.
Is the government going to keep to the agreement to hold a loya jirga? There are only six months to go. Can Afghans hope to see the leaders of the national unity government set aside political differences and unite to tackle problems from a faltering economy and security situation?
Recent comments by Shah Husain Mortazawi, a deputy spokesperson of President Ghani have not cleared the air. He reiterated Kerry’s views on the authority of the president and the national unity government, but there was not a word on whether Abdullah would be elevated to the post of prime minister.
Mujib Rahaman Rahimi, spokesperson of the chief executive said, “Our main request has been for a change in the system – from president to premier. This should be entered in the Constitution, there should be electoral reforms, loya jirga should be held and the office of chief executive elevated to executive premiership.”
Rival interests
Changing the system – from presidential – has been at the heart of tensions in the government of national unity. The two sides have traded charges. Ghani’s supporters have called the creation of the post of chief executive illegal.
Atiqullah Baryalai, an expert of strategic issues observed US backing for the status quo was not surprising. “It is important for the US to keep the current situation as it is. A change (by the loya jirga) would take the situation out of its control in the remaining 10 months of the Obama presidency,” he said. Moreover, according to him, “The title of chief executive was important for Dr Abdullah; delaying the loya jirga and getting an opportunity to manage the loya jirga are of importance to President Ghani.”
In Baryalai’s view for the president who had promised to hold the loya jirga in his fifth year in power it is important to have an opportunity to weaken Dr Abdullah in the government and among his supporters, and to manage the situation according to his own wishes. Ghani appears to be hopeful of taking Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and Taleban along with him while he manages the loya jirga.
For now the chief executive whose support has weakened appears willing to accept the present situation to show he can be “flexible”. Social activist Farida Salak says people are the “main victims” of the current situation that was forced by the US on Ghani and Abdullah in 2014.
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