Our vote, our choice in the northeast By

Our vote, our choice in the northeast By ?

For the first time, political power was transferred from one president to another through free elections in Afghanistan. People went to polling centres and voted for their candidates.

In 2014, nine candidates nominated themselves for the presidential election and sought to win the confidence of people. Since none of them could get the required 51 percent vote in the April 5, the election went into a second round between the two frontrunners (June 14).

Though people were optimistic about a peaceful transfer of power, the question to be asked is how did the campaigners of candidates in the north see the election? Did they work to get power or for financial deals?

Kunduz, Baghlan, Takhar and Badakhshan are provinces in the north-east where the supporters of both candidates were equally present, and wanted to vote for their favourite candidates. Provincial council members, tribal elders, women and youth campaigned in the election.

Voting for change

Haji Mohammad Aman Otmanzai is a tribal elder in Kunduz province and a member of Ashraf Ghani’s campaign team. He believes the transfer of power from one president to another through elections is the way forward for the country.

Otmanzai adds that all settled tribes of Kunduz worked to select an appropriate person to assume political power in order to remove all difficulties. “All teams were talking of loyalty and services, but it was important for the people of Afghanistan to think carefully about which team was deserving of leadership.”

Ahmad Jawid, a resident of Kunduz, says that a person must be given political power to form a sound administration, develop the country, remove administrative corruption and have first-rate economic programmes for the nation.

Jawid says that scholars have a key role to introduce a good candidate to the people “We want to select our favourable president by a vote and the coming president must be a good person to be able to get rid of all the present difficulties.”

Takhar was also the scene of competition between the candidates. Supporters campaigned for votes in the province.

Sohaila Juya, a member of the Takhar provincial council, says the peaceful holding of elections was in keeping with people’s expectations.

Asadullah Shahbaz, head of the provincial council of Baghlan, says there were people who wanted to prevent the transfer of power. “They were not to get success because people had decided (to vote) and no one could change their decision.”

Electoral appeal

Both candidates campaigned widely in the four provinces, and shared their plans and programmes with the people. They wanted to get political power through people’s votes.

Mawlawi Gulam Rabani Rahmani, deputy of the Abdullah Abdullah campaign team in Takhar, says he supported Abdullah Abdullah because he was a mujahid and he would pay more attention to mujahedin. “I supported Dr Abdullah because he has remained with people continuously.”

Mawlawi Abdul Qahar Hakimi, head of the Takhar provincial council and head of the Abdullah Abdullah campaign team, says all candidates have won more votes in this province compared to other provinces. Hakimi is optimistic about the transfer of power process. “Dr Abdullah used to treat mujahidin (as a doctor) and has suffered all difficulties with the people of Afghanistan.”

Dr Abdullah programmes are for people’s benefit, he says. Voters were unwilling to vote for vote for those who were powerful in the past, he adds.

Mawlawi Abdul Wahid Taeebi, head of the provincial council of Badakhshan and member of the Abdullah campaign team, says that he supported the doctor because his father and uncles were with him when they were martyred. “I declared my support for Dr Abdullah and I campaigned for him.”

Waheedullah works with Ghani and is of the opinion young people knew who to vote for. He adds that people evaluated the candidates after hearing them speak about t their programmes and views over the months of the two campaigns. They voted for whoever they thought would benefit the country. “What made us support Dr Ghani is because he said, ‘I want to strengthen the national army of Afghanistan’, and he explained his plans and programmes.”

Shukria Esa Khil Hotak, representative of Baghlan province in Parliament and a Ghani supporter, says people decided they do not want a person who was involved in past wars or a party, or someone whose hands were bloody. We have seen talent in Dr Ghani and support him.”

Haji Peer Mohammad Hotak, member of the peace council of Baghlan who is also a Ghani supporter, says he was impressed by his leader’s ability to involve different tribes in his team. “We have not made promises for seats or money, we voted for Ashraf Ghani for the sake of his programmes.”

Money and power

Money served as an inducement for people to join the campaign. Some people were promised cash and seats in administration, and ordinary voters realised their vote could bring them money, which was promised by tribal leaders and elders.

There were people who voted because of their past association with the candidates.

Haji Mohammad Otmanzai of the Ghani team denies money was distributed as bait. “Whoever uses vote for money and other privileges will be responsible for his own conscience… People must not use their vote for the sake of money instead they must consider programmes and views in order to rid the country of the present difficulties.”

There are people who have huge influence in the community but did not campaign for the sake of money or seat in government. Khil, head of the Kunduz provincial council, says he was wooed several times to campaign for a particular candidate, and promised many things. “I was impartial and I did not work for anyone,” he says.

Asila Barakzai, a member of the provincial council of Kunduz and Ghani supporter during her campaign (provincial council polls were held simultaneously on April 5), says she did not promise anything, she worked for development.

Yet a resident of Kunduz says that campaigning for the presidential elections was the best source of income for their tribal elders. People in the northeast provinces assert most people benefited from it.

Another Kunduz resident says a man claiming to be from his tribe met him and said, “I am from your tribe and whoever I introduce to you, you must vote for him.’ When I heard this statement I did not participate in the election because I thought that elections were tribal.”

Right to vote:

Marwa Akbari from Takhar province says women came out to vote because they respect elections. They would participate in elections again and again and would use their vote for their favourite candidate, she adds.

There are youths in Kunduz who were eager to vote but could not. Habiburahman, a resident of Char Dara district, could not participate in the election because of security difficulties. “I did not take part in election because there are anti-government opponents in these areas and they do not allow anyone to participate in the election.”

Habiburahman says, “The Taleban say to us, ‘We will cut your fingers or we will kill you.’ I will not be able to take part in runoff election either.”

Ajmalzadran is a resident of Pul Khumri. He says people are happy they participated in the 2014 elections.

Esmatullah Sahak, a resident of Baghlan, says they were promised clinics, roads and infrastructural projects. “We did not vote for money, we voted for the sake of work,” he says.

Breakup of votes

Figures from the Independent Election Commission website for the four provinces shows Abdullah was the overall winner with 701,453 votes while Ghani got 494,285.

Takhar: Uzbeks are in the majority followed by Tajiks. Both ethnic groups have links to Jamiat Islami party and Jumbish-e Milli Party (led be General Dostum). Some 306,866 people used their votes in the runoff elections: Abdullah got 106,218 votes while Ghani got 146,648 votes.

Badakhshan: The majority of people are Tajiks and linked to Jamiat Islami party, while Jumbish is the second most influential party in the province. Of the 312,251 total votes cast Abdullah got 247,673 votes and Ghani 64,578.

Kunduz: Pashtuns are in the majority in the province where there are also Tajiks, Uzbeks, Turkmens, Hazaras, Gojar, Balouchs, Nuristani, Pashiees and other ethnic groups. People are members of Jamiat Islami, Hezb Islami, Afghan Melat, Wahdat Islami and Ismailia. In the run-off , while Abdullah got 81,375 votes Ghani led with 110,742 votes.

Baghlan: Tajiks are in the majority here. The parties are Jamiat Islami, Hezb Islami, Afghan Melat and Islmailia. Abdullah won 212,223 votes while Ghani got 172,317.