Afghanistan: Elections 2014: What’s on the voters’ minds?

AFGHANISTAN TODAY

by Masood Momin

Afghanistan will elect a new president and provincial councils on April 5, 2014. With less than a week to go until candidates start registering, Afghanistan Today presents a snapshot survey conducted among a cross-section of people around the country to see which issues are dominating the discourse. - See more at: http://www.afghanistan-today.org/article/?id=554#sthash.RLOel8o0.dpuf

"I do not intend to participate in the upcoming presidential elections,” says Ahmad Shah, a 32-year-old grocer from Paktya Province. “The elections will be fraudulent, not transparent, allowing an individual to come to power who puts their personal interests before national interests. By contrast, Hakim Alipour, a professor at Ibn-e-Sina Institute of Higher Education in Mazar-e Sharif, believes the act of voting is a fundamental right to be exercised by all. “I want a say in the events that are shaping this country by participating,” he said, while urging the government to credibly commit itself to holding legitimate and transparent elections. Security and more security Gholam Jabar is a resident of Wamah District in Nuristan Province who would love to cast his ballot on April 5 but does not expect to have the opportunity. “Here we have Taliban and no security,” he said, adding that few people expect the elections to take place in this region. “And we have more Pakistani Taliban than their Afghan counterparts,” he added, calling upon the government to first clear out the area so people like him can fulfill their civic duty. Kabir Ahmad is a civil society activist in the Kohistan District of Kapisa Province. He believes that poor security in that area will mean the majority of families will not allow their wives and daughters to participate in the elections.As for local allegiances, he believes that “If the Taliban had a candidate in the upcoming elections, nobody would go to vote. And if anyone goes to vote, they would not vote for the Taliban.” (The Taliban have not nominated any candidates, but Karzai's government has extended the invitation to run.) Marzia Hosseini is the manager of a private loan-giving institution in Mazar-e Sharif. “I do not think I will vote since my participation in the last elections made no difference in the past years. Instead, the security situation deteriorated further,” she said. Family affair Others point to traditional methods of decision-making undermining the spirit of free elections. “In our district, people vote collectively, not individually,” said Abdul Bary, a 25-year-old student from Badakhshan’s Miami District. Others point to traditional methods of decision-making undermining the spirit of free elections. “In our district, people vote collectively, not individually,” said Abdul Bary, a 25-year-old student from Badakhshan’s remote Maaymi District. “The decision about who to vote for is made by families, not individual members of the family,” he added. He also criticized the choice of election date, since many parts of the province will still be locked with snow. Shareefullah Khan, 45, is a school teacher in the Gul Tapa area of Kunduz City. In the last presidential elections he voted for Hamid Karzai but now regrets his choice. “I believe President Karzai formed a government based on a compromise, without considering what is good for Afghanistan,” said Khan, who is still undecided whether he will vote in April. Enough empty promises Mohammad Reshad Ghoroob sells phone cards and changes money in Kabul’s Qala-e-Fatullah District. His vote will not only go to the candidate who promises a firm stance on security, but one who is as focused on the economy, he said. Sona is another resident of the capital who works as a nurse in a private hospital. She is determined to take part in the elections and will vote for her “favourite candidate”. And this will be the one who “has good programmes to eliminate violence against women.” Mohammad Asef, 42, owns a grocery store in Kandahar Province. He still believes in the value of general elections and that a legitimate and productive government can be created as a result. But seeing is believing: “I will vote for the person with good and effective strategies to fight corruption, strengthen the rule of law and enhance meritocracy … I do not believe in empty promises.”

- See more at: http://www.afghanistan-today.org/article/?id=554#sthash.RLOel8o0.dpuf