Karzai Warns Candidates, Officials To Keep Distance

10 years ago | Posted in: Afghanistan, Latest Politics News | 616 Views

President Hamid Karzai on Monday looked to further distance his government from the 11 Presidential candidates competing for his job. He warned the candidates not to use his name in their campaigning and reaffirmed that no government resources should be used to support any of the candidates.

His comments come as Presidential campaigns are fully underway, with only less than a month remaining before the vote in the first week in April. The candidates have begun traveling to different parts of the country promoting their platforms and criticizing their opponents.

“During yesterday’s Cabinet session, the President made it clear that the candidates and their supporters are not permitted to misuse his name during the campaigns,” Karzai’s Deputy Spokesman Fayeq Wahidi told on Tuesday.

The President said he does not want candidates misrepresenting his stance on the elections, which he has maintained his strictly neutral.

With a bad taste still left in many Afghan’s mouths after the 2009 elections, which were marred by fraud and other improrieties, Karzai’s admonishment regarding government interefernce in the elections is not likely to put the issue to rest.

Many fear fraud could be the biggest challenge for the elections, give the remoteness of many polling centers, insecurity and past experiences of local officials stuffing ballot boxes and intimidating voters.

“The President of Afghanistan has reiterated that no government employee, particularly Cabinet Ministers and Governors, are allowed to use government resources in support or against any candidate,” Fayeq Wahidi said. “But they are allowed to cast their votes like any other citizen.”

Moving beyond rhetoric, though, the Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan (FEFA) has asked President Karzai to take practical steps against government officials that use government resources in support of particular candidates.

“We demand that the President and the government not rely on words,” FEFA spokesman Muhammad Fahim Naeemi said. “if they see an official engaged in electoral activities and is supporting a candidate and there is evidence against him, the government should act and legally deal with the employee, the government is authorized to fire the employee from his post.”

During the campaign season, heightened scrutiny has been placed on the candidates and their conduct. Based on the Election Law, each Presidential candidate is allowed to spend 10,000,000 AFG during the campaign season and they are required to submit reports on their finances.

Independent Election Commission (IEC) Spokesman Noor Mohammad Noor has said meeting the financial transparency and oversight requirements has been difficult. Three of the 11 candidates were days late getting their financial reports to the IEC. .

Tolonews

Tags: , ,

Share it.

Leave a Reply

Related Posts