KABUL (SW): The Free and Fair Election Forum of Afghanistan (FEFA) has noted that an overwhelming 90 per cent of current members of the Wolesi Jirga (lower house) are eying return to the house via the forthcoming elections.
The FEFA has conducted an opinion poll in this regard. Naeem Asghari, director programs at the FEFA, informed that this poll is based on views and opinions of politicians, members of the WJ, and civil society members. He noted many participants expressed doubts and concerns regarding the capacity and performance of the electoral institutions.
He noted the electoral commissions have failed to secure the confidence of the masses.
A significant 57 per cent of the responders said it is likely that the parliamentary and district council elections would be held simultaneously with the presidential elections. Insecurity was marked as the major obstacle in this regard by some 52 per cent responders. Up to 44 per cent respondents feared weak management was the major issue hindering timely and transparent elections.
Mohammad Hussain Fahim, researcher at FEFA, said that 90 per cent of the WJ members believed the government was interfering in electoral affairs while 65 per cent expressed dissatisfaction towards the performance of the electoral commissions.
The poll has indicated that a large number of WJ members are in favor of elections bases on biometric identity cards, and 87 per cent are against the re-use of previous voting cards. The poll also indicated that 63 per cent of the parliamentarians are against alteration to the electoral constituencies.
The FEFA poll is based on interviews with some 80 WJ members from 29 provinces. Up to 60 responders were male and 20 were female.
ENDS
