Failed parliamentary candidates and their supporters on Tuesday took to the streets of the capital in protest over the October election results and called for results to be invalidated.
The long-awaited preliminary results of Kabul’s October 20 and 21 parliamentary elections were released on January 15, a move that sparked an outcry among losing candidates and their supporters.
Election watchdogs have also however slammed the election commission and accused them of electoral fraud.
Protestors on Tuesday called for a repeat election, which they said should be held with this year’s planned presidential elections.
Tuesday’s demonstrators meanwhile blocked off four routes connecting Kabul with other provinces for a few hours and voiced their grievances.
The candidates and their supporters called on government to prosecute all IEC staff members involved in electoral fraud, including IEC commissioners, the IEC secretariat head and former head of IEC's Kabul office.
The protesters warned they would continue to protest until their demands were met.
“We came out today to call for justice. We will continue our demonstrations all over the country, unless Kabul votes are declared invalid,” Fazl Menallah Mumtaz, a protesting candidate said.
“Those who are involved in fraud are Awal Rahman Rodwal who committed big treason against Kabul people. Then the leadership of the election commission, except Maliha Hassan, and Zamanzai, secretary of the election commission,” Saif Rahman Habibi, representative of the political party at today’s demonstration said.
The protesters said Kabul parliamentary elections should be held with the presidential elections on July 20 this year.
“We want the president to introduce members of the election commission to the legal and judicial centers, declare Kabul election results invalid and to hold (a repeat election) with the presidential elections with a new commission,” Daud Kalakani, a protesting candidate said.
“The commission has committed fraud, our votes have not been counted and we want our rights,” Fawad Ibrahimi, a protester said.
IEC chief Abdul Badi Sayyad meanwhile said at a press conference on Tuesday that the unhappy candidates should lodge their complaints with the IEC and electoral complaints commission rather than block key routes around the city.
“They should ask for their rights through legal channels. The closure of roads and entrances will annoy the people,” said Sayyad.
Commuters meanwhile voiced their displeasure over the closure of roads in Kabul on Tuesday, which forced many people to resort to walking as cars could not get through the crowds.
“There are no cars, we are walking,” Abdullah a passerby said.
“We were told that the road is closed, so we came here on foot,” Humayun, another passerby said.
Based on the preliminary results, these candidates secured seats in parliament:
Ajmal Rahmani received 12,192 votes, Abdul Qayoum Khaikhaw received 9,626 votes, Fida Mohammad Ulfat Saleh received 7,406 votes, Ahmad Jawed Jaihoon received 7,161 votes, Ramazan Bashardost received 7,041 votes, Khan Agha Rezayee received 6,905 votes, Amir Gul Shaheen received 6,765 votes, Ghulam Hussain Naseri received 6,470 votes, Mullah Mohammad Khan Ahmadi received 6,348 votes, Allah Gul Mujahid received 6,333 vote, Sayed Mohamamd Mohammadi received 6,253 votes, Mir Amanullah Guzar received 6,250 votes, Khan Mohammad Wardak received 6,005 votes, Qazi Mir Afghan Safai received 5,968 votes, Ajmal Gulab received 4,525 votes, Ahmad Zia Azimi Shinozada received 4,481 votes, Tawfiq Wahdat received 4,318 votes, Obaidullah Kalimzai Wardak received 4,291 votes, Hafizullah Jalili received 4,183 votes, Hajji Mohammad Farhad Sediqqi received 4,174 votes, Anwar Khan Oryakhel received 4,120 votes, Zargai Habibi received 3,938 votes, Habiburrahman Sayyaf received 3,879 votes, Najibullah Naser received 3,779 votes.
The female winners included:
Fatima Nazari received 2,897 votes
Shinkai Karokhel received 1,883 votes
Robina Jalali received 1,529 votes
Fawzia Naseryar Gul Darayee received 1,470 votes
Maryam Sama received 1,439 votes
Saleema Nekbin received 1,352 votes
Mursal Nabizadah received 1,319 votes
Zohra Nawrozi received 1,297 votes
Nazifa Zaki received 1,197 votes.