Gov’t Plotting to Hold Rigged Election: MPs

“A circle close to the president and his team has instructed the election commission to do not let anyone except a few figures – who support them – to secure parliament seat in [the upcoming] election,” said Humayun Humayun, First Deputy Speaker of Wolesi Jirga, or Parliament’s Lower House.

Questioning the election commission’s Independence, the MPs claimed that the Presidential Palace has been involved in the decision-making process of the election commission.

“The President has ordered the election mission to do not let more than 25 individuals to be re-elected as parliament members, and this is an obvious interference of the government,” said MP Abdullah Mohammadi.

This comes after the election commission officials were not present in the Lower House’s Saturday session despite being summoned by the MPs so that the commission could reveal its plans in holding the parliamentary and district council elections.

“National Assembly is responsible in the election process; the election commission officials have acted against the constitution, principles and legitimate rights of the people by not coming to the assembly,” the House’s Speaker Abdul Raouf Ibrahimi said. “The election commission does not have the capacity and commitment to hold the election.”