Afghanistan Times
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KABUL: The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said it has encouraged by the Afghan people who turned out to have their voices heard on 28 September and to exercise their constitutional right to vote for their next president.
This presidential election was the first completely run by Afghan authorities since 2001 and is an important milestone in Afghanistan’s transition to self-reliance, the agency said in a statement on Sunday.
Afghan citizens braved security threats to cast their votes for a better future. Those voters deserve to be commended for carrying out their civic duty, it added.
Now, all Afghan authorities and actors – including the Independent Election Commission (IEC), the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC), political parties, the government, candidates and their supporters – must demonstrate their commitment to safeguard and complete the election, and to protect the integrity of the process, especially with regard to tabulating and announcing the results.
UNAMA urged all stakeholders to have an accurate understanding of the tallying process before making comments; and also urges the IEC and ECC to ensure all stakeholders understand the tally process, including by explaining the process in clear and definitive terms. All stakeholders share responsibility for the credibility of the elections.
The United Nations has taken note that the Afghan electoral authorities have put in place numerous anti-fraud measures to ensure transparency, and encourages observer organizations, political parties, candidates and voters to play an active, informed and constructive role to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process as votes are tallied, the statement furthered.
Any citizen suspecting or witnessing fraud has a civic obligation to file a complaint with the relevant Afghan authorities, especially the Electoral Complaints Commission. Where credible allegations are made, Afghan law enforcement agencies should investigate expeditiously and, where appropriate, detain and prosecute those responsible, it added.
