Afghanistan’s Ghani to seek re-election as rivals line up

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will seek re-election next year, his office confirmed, as rivals began their push for his office.

Mr Ghani, elected in 2014 polls tainted by allegations of fraud, is expected to present himself as the candidate who can end Afghanistan’s 17-year conflict.

The academic, who has a reputation for shouting at subordinates and micromanaging Afghanistan’s unity government, will try to capitalise on renewed US-led efforts to talk to the Taliban.

“I can confirm that President Ghani is seeking re-election next year,” his spokesman said.

Mr Ghani, who chose the widely feared ethnic Uzbek leader Abdul Rashid Dostum as his first running mate in the 2014 election, has not yet announced who he will pick this time.

It also is not certain who will challenge him in the April 20 ballot.

Chief executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah, Afghanistan’s equivalent of prime minister, and former national security adviser Mohammad Atmar, who quit in August, are among potential contenders.

Former Balkh provincial governor Atta Noor, whose refusal to stand down from his position sparked a months-long political crisis for Mr Ghani, earlier expressed an interest in the job.

Nominations open on November 10, the day that the embattled Independent Election Commission is scheduled to release the results of last month’s parliamentary polls.

Mr Ghani, a Pashtun, will need more than the support of Afghanistan’s largest ethnic group if he is to succeed. He has already started trying to convince rival ethnicities.

Mr Dostum’s return from exile in July was interpreted as an attempt by Mr Ghani to secure votes from the minority group.

His presidency has been marred by growing militant violence, record-high civilian casualties, political infighting and deepening ethnic divisions.

Mr Ghani took office in 2014 as US-led Nato combat troops withdrew from the country, sparking a resurgence in Taliban violence that coincided with the emergence of ISIS in the region.

In February, under growing pressure from the international community that provides critical financial and military backing to the government, he made a peace offer to the Taliban.

That was followed in June by an unprecedented ceasefire between Afghan troops and Taliban fighters that lasted three days and spurred hopes that peace was possible.

Taliban representatives met US officials in Qatar at least twice in recent months, most recently on October 12, with newly appointed US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad.