KABUL (SW) – Documents obtained by Salam Watandar indicate illegal electoral campaigns for a number of presidential candidates, particularly the incumbent President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani are underway.
The information gathered by SW indicates the campaign teams have activated in Herat, Sar-e-Pul, Takhar, Kunduz, Bamyan, Ghazni, Nangarhar and Faryab provinces way ahead of the official approval by the Independent Election Commission.
Such an illegal campaign and abuse of state resources for it remain the bone of contention among the rival candidates. A while ago, one of the candidates, Rehmatullah Nabil, claimed that President Ghani’s electoral team ‘State Builders’ have established some 40 electoral campaign offices using the state resources and funds from ‘some foreign intelligence’ agencies.
Mohammad Anwar Rehmani, chairman Sar-e-Pul provincial council and Shoaib Shaukat, a civil society activist in Takhar, told SW that it has been three months since the ‘State Builders’ are busy in electoral campaign. They said the campaigners are travelling across the provinces in schools, universities and villages for this campaign.
The reports suggest campaign offices have been established disguised as civil society organizations to distribute money and mobilize potential voters to register.
Yosuf Rasheed, chairman Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan, said in this regard that they too have received reports about such illegal electoral campaigns. He said the electoral commission has so far failed to take notice and actions in this connection.
However, Khushal Khalil, a member of the ‘State Builders’ team, defended the establishment of electoral offices in a number of offices. He maintained these offices are only aimed at preparations, and they are not engaged in any illegal activity. He went on to charge rival candidates for engaging in illegal campaigns.
When contacted, the IEC said all complaints in this matter should be referred to the Independent Election Complaint Commission. The IECC, however, did not respond to repeated calls by SW.
Based on the electoral schedule, the campaign for forthcoming presidential polls shall begin in July for two months.
ENDS
