Probe voids thousands of Karzai votes

       Fraud investigators threw out hundreds of thousands of votes for President Hamid Karzai in the country's disputed August election,according to a report released yesterday.
       The findings set the stage for a run-off between him and his top challenger.
       It was unclear, however, whether the Independent Election Commission (IEC) would accept the findings of the UN-backed fraud panel and announce a run-off. Mr Karzai's spokesman said it was too soon to make a judgment based on the figures released by the panel.
       Two international officials familiar with the investigation said that the findings showed Mr Karzai falling below the 50% threshold needed to avoid a run-off with his chief rival,former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah.
       Preliminary results released last month showed Mr Karzai winning the Aug 20 election with more than 54%. However, allegations of widespread fraud prompted the investigation by the UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission and held up a final proclamation of a winner.
       Investigators did not release enough figures to allow for an independent judgment, but it was clear that hundreds of thousands of Karzai votes were voided.
       In all, more than five million votes were cast in the election.
       "I don't think we can make any judgment based on the figures announced today," Karzai campaign spokesman Waheed Omar said.
       That has raised fears that the Karzai-influenced election commission may refuse to call for a run-off - further delaying formation of a government that the US believes is needed to help combat the growing Taliban insurgency.
       A protracted crisis could also lead to political unrest.
       Hundreds of Karzai supporters protested in the south over the weekend,calling for the electoral commission to release results quickly and saying they will reject a second round.
       They gathered in the main street of the southeastern city of Spin Boldak on Sunday, shouting "We want the result!" and "Karzai is our leader!"
       Ali Shah Khan, a tribal leader from the area, said the protesters believed the August vote was fair and that foreigners were delaying the results to unseat Mr Karzai.
       "We know they don't want President Karzai because he is a strong leader and he is working only for the people of Afghanistan," Mr Khan said."The foreign countries want a weak leader for Afghanistan. After that they can do whatever they want."
       The White House says President Barack Obama will not send more US troops until a credible government is in place.
       French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and US Senator John Kerry,chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, were in Kabul last weekend urging the Afghans to resolve the standoff quickly.
       Abdullah campaign spokesman Fazel Sancharaki said the UN-backed panel "is under threat" from Mr Karzai. He alleged the president was urging the IEC not to accept the results of the fraud probe.

AFGAHN AUTHORITIES DRAG THEIR FEET ON VOTE FRAUD

       Two months after Afghans voted in controversial presidential elections, authorities were still wrangling yesterday over whether another poll is needed amid tense negotiations between rival candidates.
       Officials in Kabul said Afghan politicians and their international backers have been involved in days of vigorous horse-trading in the hope of averting a run-off, which many fear could further destabilise the fragile country.
       Afghanistan's August-20 election has been overshadowed by allegations of fraud, mostly against President Hamid Karzai, including findings by EU observers that one quarter of all votes, or 1.5 million, were suspicious.
       Karzai leads preliminary results with around 55 per cent of the vote. He needs 50 per cent plus one vote to be declared the winner.
       His main rival Abdullah Abdullah has around 28 per cent.
       An official announcement - winner or run-off - will be made by the Independent Election Commission (IEC), widely regarded as pro-Karzai, which acts on the orders of the UN-approved Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC).
       ECC officials had been expected to deliver their roders, based on the finding of investigations into ballot-stuffing, to the IEC yesterday. The IEC is constitutionally bound to obey the orders. But officials, including an IEC source, said only informal meetings had taken place in which ECC members explained how they reached their conclusions.
       The officials said the ECC could make its decision public as early as yesterday, but the IEC is now expected to delay its announcement for some days.
       "The issue is that the IEC will not accept that ECC decisions and they are heading for a head-on collision and political chaos," another diplomat said, adding: "This means further delays in the final sresult."

Ben Bongo's poll win confirmed

       Gabon's Constitutional Court rejected on Monday challenges launched by the opposition to Ali Ben Bongo's victory in an August presidential election, paving the way for Mr Ben Bongo to replace his father as president.
       "The election of Ali Ben Bongo Ondimba as president of the Republic of Gabon is confirmed," Court President Marie Madeleine Mborantsuo, said in a decision read out on state television on Monday evening.
       According to the final tally, Mr Ben Bongo scored 41.8% of the vote.

Electorate votes in test for Medvedev's pledge to boost democracy

       President Dmitry Medvedev faced a test of his pledge to boost Russian democracy yesterday when polls opened for 30 million voters in regional elections the opposition say have been rigged.
       Mr Medvedev has promised to break the near-monopoly of ruling party United Russia over the political system. Critics say democracy was undermined by his predecessor Vladimir Putin, now prime minister, and the opposition says the situation has deteriorated since Mr Medvedev came to power in May 2008.
       "Political competition is practically zero," said Liliya Shibanova, head of independent poll watchdog Golos."Medvedev says we need competition,we need a multi-party system, but election results show the exact opposite."
       Mayoral, regional and district elections are being held in 76 of Russia's 83 regions, but the opposition has been scathing of elections to the Moscow council. Six parties were registered for yesterday's Moscow vote, but the only posters in the city are for United Russia.
       "Everything is decided in advance,"said teacher Jay Komisarzhevskaya."I haven't voted for 10 years."