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The 2018 Election Observed (2) in Kandahar: Facing the same problems as the rest of the country

The people of Kandahar cast their vote on 27 October 2018, a week later than the rest of the country. Although no figures have been released, turnout appears to have been good in Kandahar city and Spin Boldak, as was expected, and patchy to nonexistent in most other districts. The IEC had stressed that the […]

3 Nov 2018 Ali Mohammad Sabawoon • Political Landscape

Aftershocks of a Procedural Ambiguity: The IEC and ECC dispute over which votes to validate

When the Independent Election Commission (IEC), at the last minute, introduced the use of biometric machines in the Wolesi Jirga election, it approved a procedure stipulating that the votes cast without the new system would be invalid. But it never decidedly clarified what it would do with the polling stations that failed to use them. Then, […]

2 Nov 2018 Ali Yawar Adili • Political Landscape

Not Everybody’s Hero: The assassinated communist-turned-post-2001-parliamentary candidate Jabbar Qahraman

The assassination of Kandahar’s police chief and strongman of southern Afghanistan Abdul Razeq in Kandahar on 18 October, along with the province’s NDS chief, and more members of the provincial leadership wounded soon overshadowed the killing of parliamentary candidate Abdul Jabbar Qahraman in neighbouring Helmand by a bomb one day earlier. Qahraman means “hero”, a […]

31 Oct 2018 Michael Semple • Political Landscape

The 2018 Election Observed (1) in Zurmat, Paktia: Real voting only in the district centre

Zurmat district in Paktia province is almost completely under Taleban control. The parliamentary elections were held there only on a tiny island of government control. Turnout was very low on the first election day and limited to the district centre – another example of Afghanistan’s emerging rural-urban voting divide. On day two, attempts of ballot stuffing […]

29 Oct 2018 Pakteen Khan • Thomas Ruttig • Political Landscape

The Release of Mullah Baradar: A contribution to the peace effort?

The Taleban have confirmed to various media that Pakistan has released the most senior member of their movement in detention, Mullah Abdul Ghani, better known as Mullah Baradar (brother). He was arrested in 2010 and held ever since, apparently incommunicado and without charge or trial. Baradar was a founding member of the Taleban and a […]

28 Oct 2018 Kate Clark • War and Peace

Before Election Day Three: Looking at Kandahar’s upcoming vote

Tomorrow, on 27 October 2018, Kandahar will vote in the country’s parliamentary election – a week later than the rest of the country. The delay comes after the assassination of, among others, the province’s police chief and strongman Abdul Razeq on 18 October 2018. The IEC has tried to remedy the problems that plagued the […]

26 Oct 2018 Martine van Bijlert • Political Landscape

Election Day Two: A first hand account of the trials and chaos of second-day voting

The parliamentary election that was finally held after a three and half year delay, was meant to end the extra-constitutionality of the legislature and boost the legitimacy of the state. New anti-fraud measures were put in place to ensure transparent elections, but they were poorly prepared and implemented. Now, after two days of voting, the […]

23 Oct 2018 Ali Yawar Adili • Political Landscape

Election Day Two: A triumph of administrative chaos

The second day of the Afghan parliamentary election has been as chaotic as the first. Because many polling centres failed to open or opened late on Saturday, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) ruled that some could also open today. However, only some actually opened today and voters were presented with the same bureaucratic and technical […]

21 Oct 2018 AAN Team • Jelena Bjelica • Political Landscape

Election Day One (Evening Update): Voter determination and technical shambles

In our first update of the day, AAN reported on the mixed turnout – far higher in the cities and other secure places and lower in districts where the Taleban could close roads and prevent voting. Those determined to vote faced not only Taleban violence, but also many technical problems and late-opening polling centres. In […]

21 Oct 2018 AAN Team • Kate Clark • Thomas Ruttig • Political Landscape

Election Day One: A rural-urban divide emerging

Afghanistan’s third post-Taleban parliamentary elections have started slowly, with a lot of technical chaos and significant fighting in a number of provinces. Polling hours have now been extended. Even in many areas of Kabul, polling centres had not opened by 9:30am. There are widespread reports of a lack of polling material, electoral staff being unfamiliar […]

20 Oct 2018 AAN Team • Thomas Ruttig • Rights and Freedoms