Kabul, Nov 19: Afghan President Hamid Karzai is to be sworn into office for a second full term on Thursday as he struggles to rebuild a tarnished reputation and convince the West he is still a credible partner after eight years of war.
Karzai’s inauguration comes against the backdrop of a rising Taliban insurgency, doubts over his legitimacy after an election tainted by fraud and complaints his government is riddled with corruption and mismanagement.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in her first visit to Afghanistan as the top U.S. diplomat, and her British, French and Turkish counterparts are among 300 foreign dignitaries to attend the ceremony at the presidential palace in central Kabul.
“There is now a clear window of opportunity for President Karzai and his government to make a new compact with the people of Afghanistan, to demonstrate clearly that you’re going to have accountability and tangible results that will improve the lives of the people,” Clinton said in the Afghan capital on Wednesday.
Kabul’s streets were deserted early on Thursday with armoured vehicles blocking off the capital’s major roads. Security officers were even stopping people from walking on the streets. The government has declared Thursday a holiday and reporters are barred from attending the searing-in ceremony.
“They should all go to hell. With these roadblocks, we can’t even walk home,” said Mohammed Shah, referring to Karzai’s last term. “I was on duty tonight and I want to go home but they’re not allowing me to go. What’s happened in the last five years? It will just be the same again.”
–Agencies