Purported Afghanistan Presidential Winner Hamid Karzai Believes He is Indeed the Real Winner Admist Questions of Doubt

Who Is the Rightful Winner in Afghanistan’s Presidential Election?
Purported Winner Hamid Karzai Believes He Was Indeed Elected, Doubts U.N. Will Officially Challenge Results

Written by: Karen Benardello

Hope to bring the election crisis in Afghanistan to an end faded on October 17 when President Hamid Karzai defied international encouraging to accept fraud rulings. Combined with the fact that three more American service members have reportedly been killed by bombings, and the U.S.’s international allies have been looking for a way out of Afghanistan’s political impasse, the Afghan government’s legitimacy and the future of the U.S.-led military mission in the country are being questioned.

Amid these circumstances, and the belief that the U.N. has conducted an investigation into allegations of widespread fraud in the August 20 election, as preliminary figures showed Karzai won with more than 54 percent of the vote, Karzai could face a funoff with his main rival, Abdullah Abdullah. However, the U.N. panel must invalidate enough ballots to push Karzai’s total below 50 percent before a runoff can take place.

Karzai’s campaign staff believes that he will be able to remain in office, as they doubt the total will go below 50 percent. The president himself has refused to publicly comment on the matter, but it’s believed that he may challenge the U.N. panel if he doesn’t like its results, which would delay the runoff, and the declaration of the winner.

When fraud charges arise in Afghanistan, the U.N.-dominated Electoral Complaints Commission makes the final decisions on the manner. However, the president’s followers on the separate Independent Election Commission have argued that the partial recount is beyond the normal complaint process and that the U.N.-backed panel does not have the final say.

In order for the country to avoid political turmoil until spring, the second round of ballots needs to be held before winter begins in Afghanistan, which is typically in mid-November. After that, heavy snows fall in the mountain passes, and the Taliban can gain strength. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown have all rightfully showed their concern on this manner, and have spoken to both Karzai and Abdullah in recent days to express their worries over the impasse.

If both Karzai and Abdullah are willing to work together, and it’s constitutional, the two should come to a power-sharing deal to avoid a potentially divisive and costly second vote, in an effort to avoid turmoil. But Mohin Murstal, a member of parliament and a Karzai supporter, said that “Karzai has agreed that after the announcement of the results, he will give the opportunity for all political personalities to be involved in government — but not before.” The president’s campaign spokesman, Waheed Omar, added that Karzai is “not going to compromise the results of the elections into any sort of political deal.”