Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Afghans declare Ghani’s reelection
KABUL, Afghanistan — Ashraf Ghani won a second term as president of Afghanistan, the country’s independent election commission announced Tuesday, more than four months after polls closed. But his closest opponent refused to recognize the results, declaring himself the winner.
The Taliban also rejected Ghani’s win, further putting into question a U.S. peace plan that calls for a reduction in violence followed by a more permanent agreement expected to be signed Feb. 29 between Washington and the Taliban. That agreement would pave the way for U.S. troops to return home, ending America’s longest war, and trigger negotiations between Afghans on both sides of the conflict.
The commission said Ghani garnered 923,592 votes, or 50.64%, in the election that took place Sept. 28. His main challenger, the country’s chief executive Abdullah Abdullah, received 720,841 votes, or 39.52%.
Ghani and Abdullah head a national unity government that was put together under U.S. pressure after both leaders claimed victory in Afghanistan’s 2014 elections.
After the announcement of the results, Ghani appeared among supporters in Kabul, where he emphasized the importance of peace talks with the Taliban, saying his winning team will bring peace to the country.
“It’s time to make Afghanistan united,” he said. He urged the insurgent group to participate in the democratic process, without referring to the peace agreement he supported in Munich.
Abdullah, in comments to supporters broadcast by media outlets, said he considered the election results illegal.
“We are going to establish an inclusive government,” he said.
Election results were repeatedly delayed amid accusations of misconduct and technical problems with counting ballots. The final vote tally was originally to be announced Nov. 7.
Hawa Alam Nuristani, head of the national election commission, said previously that 1.8 million Afghan citizens voted in the election out of about 9.6 million eligible voters.
On election day, many Afghans found incomplete voter lists, unworkable biometric identification systems aimed at curbing fraud and, in some cases, hostile election workers.
The government’s push to hold the vote in itself had been controversial. In an interview with The Associated Press before the election, former Afghan president Hamid Karzai warned the election could be destabilizing for the country at a time of deep political uncertainty.
Tuesday’s election results came days after U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced a truce agreement between the United States and the Taliban that could lead to the withdrawal of American troops from the country.
Ghani first ran for president in 2009, capturing barely a quarter of the votes. He ran again in 2014 in what was considered a deeply flawed and corrupt exercise.
The Taliban in a statement called the election a “fraud.” They have maintained that the Afghan government is a “puppet” of the United States.
“After the end of the invasion the Muslim people of Afghanistan will decide about their internal issues and will adopt their political faith,” the statement said.