KABUL (SW) – Fawzia Kofi, one of the politicians removed from the list of the candidates for the parliamentary elections, claimed on Sunday a member of the electoral commission has asked her for bribe.
Addressing a press conference here, Kofi stressed her name has been removed from the list due to her constant criticism of the government. She vowed to hand over proof about the suspected electoral commission employee to the legal institutions who asked her for bribe. She vowed to quit politics if allegations of having armed militia are proven against her by an ‘international committee’.
She said seven out of the 16 people named by the electoral commission as members of her armed militia are actually members of the Afghan Local Police, and three of them are her teachers.
Hundreds of supporters of another candidate removed from the list, Assadullah Ayub, took to the streets in Takhar against the move. The protesters threatened to lock down office of the electoral commission in Takhar if the name of Assadullah Ayub is not added back to the list.
Meanwhile, Ali Reza Rouhani, spokesman for the Independent Election Complaint Commission (IECC), has said if Fawzia Kofi has evidence, she should refer to legal institutions. He discarded allegations of politicizing the process.
The presidential palace has also issued a statement stressing the government is committed towards holding transparent, just and timely elections, and it respects the independence of the electoral commissions in light of the law.
ENDS
