Stand together

The two candidates in Afghanistan’s controversial presidential election, Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani, have done well to agree to a US-brokered deal that provides for an audit of every vote cast in the election.

This breaks the deadlock, which emerged out of the Independent Election Commission’s announcement of preliminary election results a fortnight ago.

The IEC declared Ghani the winner, which was rejected by Abdullah who alleged massive vote manipulation.

With neither willing to backdown and Abdullah threatening to form a parallel government, it did seem that Afghanistan was rapidly descending into another violent confrontation along ethnic lines, perhaps even a civil war.

The compromise agreement Abdullah and Ghani have reached pulls Afghanistan back from the brink. It is still too early though to let out a sigh of relief as many minefields lie ahead.

The auditing of the votes is a long and complex process and it is doubtful whether a mere recount will adequately pick up on election irregularities.

Importantly, at the end of the audit will the loser accept the verdict with grace and the winner, who will be President, fulfil the promises both candidates committed to under the agreement?

The deal provides for a government of national unity that will be headed by the President. The loser will not go home empty-handed as he will be ‘chief of the executive council,’ a new position.

This will require constitutional changes that involve a dilution of presidential powers and power-sharing. Such changes are good for Afghanistan’s highly centralised system. The question is whether an all-powerful president will agree to initiate the process of shedding his own powers.

Afghanistan will benefit from a power-sharing arrangement. Thus, this deal, which emerged out of a huge crisis, has the potential to make Afghanistan’s power structure more inclusive.

Abdullah, Ghani and their supporters will have to rise up to the occasion and fulfil their obligations under the deal for Afghanistan’s sake.

Thursday last, a few hours before the vote recount began in Kabul, the Taliban carried out a major attack on Kabul airport that lasted over four hours.

Its message should force Abdullah and Ghani recognise the importance of their actions in the coming weeks for Afghanistan’s future.

The two are locked in a power struggle but need to stand together to defeat the Taliban. The attack on Kabul airport is a signal that the Taliban is watching and waiting for them to slip.