The Only News in Afghanistan; Elections and Mega Spending on Elections

The capital is dressed in yet another new look. Posters, banners, wall chalking, bill boards, and colorful advertising kiosks define the new patterns sewn on this dress. Campaigners are seen running up and down the streets of the capital chanting slogans for their candidates and convincing the voters to vote for their candidate(s). Brochures, fliers and pamphlets are being printed and distributed at a greater number than ever before, yet more prominent and experienced candidates have taken to the TV channels. Internet has become a favorite and inexpensive medium of advertising candidates. Enthusiastic supporters are seen campaigning on social networking websites and Youtube as well. Nevertheless, the traditional style of campaigning hasn’t ended. Gathering, rallying and throwing parties in the honor of the voters (in reality buying their votes) goes on with expenses unparalleled in history. The rich candidates serve meal to the people who gather and vow to vote for them. Iftar cum dinner parties is adding to the taste.

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Though candidates adhere to certain political or religious political parties but they are not allowed to contest elections on party affiliation basis rather as independent candidates, which only stands theoretically so. Dozens of political parties are campaigning for their candidates and rallying support on political grounds. However, elections in Afghanistan are expected to run along ethnic and religious lines.

Only to be the second time in four decades that Afghans would go to the election booths to vote for their representatives, this election has drawn over 2500 candidates with over 400 women candidates to run for a total of 249 seats out of which 65 seats are reserved for women of the lower house of the parliament Wolasi Jirga.

While the Kabul government is awaiting yet another achievement by holding elections, western Media is busy in covering stories related to the campaigns for women candidates. The lavish parties, the mega spending on buying votes, and public dinners go unchecked. This leaves one to wonder as to how it would be possible for a poor nation as Afghanistan to have parliamentarians who are sacrificing hundreds of thousands of dollars in their election campaign. I was taken aback, for example, when a campaigner in Kunduz province Fazluddin Acbari reported that the candidate Syed Daud Naderi, he campaigns for, spent round about $150,000 in hosting lunches and lavish dinners in just four days of his public invitations. Similarly Naderi’s uncle Syed Mansoor Naderi is running for his seat from Baghlan province, his son Syed Jafar Naderi from Badkhshan Province while his younger daughter Farkhunda Zahra Naderi runs from Kabul. By virtue of spending his family must be spending millions of dollars for the four seats the family is eying for. Additionally the family has to support their two other candidates from Kabul who hail affiliation to their political party Paiwand-e-Mili.

Same is the case for many other popular Jihadi leaders (dubbed by the west as warlords). Among 2500 candidates more than half adhere to Jihadi era or parties.

While the election slogans for most candidates talk of security, security in the country is worsening at a greater pace than ever before. Taliban are openly exercising their influence everywhere. At least five of a woman candidate’s campaigners were killed by the militant group a couple of days ago. The Election Commission has closed down about 940 election booths for fear of prevailing insecurity and Taliban threats.

With all these Afghanistan is going for elections on 18th of September. Fears of rigging, intimidation, fixing and security will test the patience of this nation again. Low turnout in provinces is already expected while the majority of voters are illiterate and have already registered their complaints in understanding whom to vote for and how to find the name, symbol, picture and specified number of their favorite candidates. More than 700 candidates are running for the 33 seats of the capital Kabul nine of which are reserved for women candidates and have to be won by them.