Will IEC’s resignations end electoral crisis?

The engineered resignations of IEC’s head and deputy will not solve electoral chaos in Afghanistan unless the entity’s constitutional independence is respected and ensured by Hamid Karzai.

Over the years we have repeatedly experienced a ‘bad to worse’ situation with Mr. Karzai’s cabinet reshuffling and senior appointments.

However, reform with individuals alone has proved ineffective.

What this country needs is system-based institutional development and reform.

IEC’s decision-makers must not be exclusively Karzai’s appointees. Their integrity must be screened and approved by the Parliament either.

The resignations offer an opportunity to circumcise Karzai’s absolutism and prevent replication of the electoral catastrophe witnessed during last year’s presidential election.

A genuinely independent elections commission will serve democracy, Afghans and state-building in this country.

Don’t expect “fair and free” elections in future if Karzai is allowed to replace Ludin and Najafi with other – perhaps worse – cronies.