The three major contenders of Afghanistan’s presidential election, Hamid Karzai, Abdullah Abdullah and Ramazan Bashardost, have won most of their votes from their own tribesmen. Karzai, however, has won additional votes through his coalition with some prominent tribal leaders who persuaded their tribes to vote for Karzai. 

The results of Afghanistan’s elections, that took place on August 20, have not been released yet. But according to unofficial reports broadcast by media or released by agents of candidates, Hamid Karzai, an ethnic Pashtun, has won most of his votes from the southern and eastern parts of Afghanistan where majority residents are Pashtuns. Dr. Abdullah, of Pashtun/Tajik ethnicity, has obtained the majority of his votes from the North, where most residents are Tajiks. Ramazan Bashardost, of Hazara ethnicity, won the highest number of his votes from Hazarajat – central Afghanistan. 

Hamid Karzai also won a high number of votes from Hazaras and Uzbeks. Most of the Hazara and Uzbek voters were apparently loyalists of tribal leaders, especially Mohammad Mohaqiq and General Dostom, both supporters of Karzai.

Haider, 53, a resident of western Kabul, says he voted for Karzai even though he did not like him. He said he was not happy with the performance of Karzai’s administration during the past years because he believes Karzai did nothing for people. Haider cared and knew very little about Karzai’s platform and plans for the next 5 years. The only reason he voted for Karzai is his loyalty to his tribal leader, Mohammad Mohaqiq. “I voted for Karzai because our leader Mohaqiq suggested that we vote for him”, he said.

Sulaiman, 42, sitting beside Haider agrees with him. He said that Karzai is now the candidate of Hazaras and Uzbeks because the tribal leaders of both tribes support him. He believes that voting for Karzai is an obligation for Hazaras and Uzbeks. “If we don’t vote for Karzai, he will not succeed, and if any other candidate wins the election, he will not work for our tribe because he’ll say we had not supported him”, he stated.

Meanwhile, some voters seem more loyal to their ethnicity than their tribal leaders.

Najib, a 38-year-old medical doctor who also belongs to the Hazara ethnic group said he voted for Bashardost. He believes that almost every one in Afghanistan votes on ethnic lines. He pointed to the results of a polling center in Kandahar where Bashardost got only 3 votes. “See, even though Bashardost had a good platform for all Afghanistan; he got only 3 votes in a polling center in Kandahar. Very few people voted for him because Bashardost did not belong to their ethnic group”.

Mubarak Shah, 28, a resident of Badakhshan, agrees. He said he voted for Pedram – a presidential candidate who is from Badakhshan – because Pedram belongs to his ethnic group and thinks the same way he does.

An illiterate female voter in Kama district of Nangarhar province, while casting her ballot, was asking the IEC staff to help her find the name of Merwais Yasini – a candidate who belongs to the same district where she comes from.

Jawad, a volunteer in a polling station in Kabul reported that agents were openly persuading people to vote for a candidate who belonged to their ethnic group.

Afghanistan’s second Presidential Election was a major achievement; however, the election showed that most Afghans still vote according to their ethnicity or on the recommendations of their tribal leaders. It will take at least several more elections before Afghans choose their leaders based on a vision for the whole country and for all Afghans and not just for those people most like themselves.