Kabul's Mayor Keeps City Running after Taliban Takeover
2021-08-26
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1Mohammad Daoud Sultanzoy is the mayor of Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.
2The Taliban has taken control of the city but has kept him in office.
3The mayor has some words of advice for the militant group.
4Sultanzoy spoke with VOA's Afghanistan Branch on Monday.
5He said if the Taliban does not listen to the people's interests and dreams "they, too, will be seen" as a group that advanced religious, ethnic and regional interests.
6"And their reputation will be damaged."
7Sultanzoy is a well-known politician with no connections to the Taliban.
8He was among a few senior officials who were permitted to keep their jobs after the Taliban took power in Kabul on August 15.
9Most other leaders resigned or fled the country.
10Sultanzoy said the Taliban called him the day after entering Kabul, home to about 5 million people.
11The Taliban asked him to continue to do his job.
12"So I went to work," he said.
13"Until I'm told otherwise, I'll continue to work. This is my country. I don't work for any individual or group. I serve my city's residents. I'm from Kabul, and I'll live in Kabul."
14Sultanzoy is a pilot by training.
15He served in the Afghan parliament from 2005 to 2010 and ran for president in 2014.
16He lost the 2014 election to Ashraf Ghani, who later named Sultanzoy a top adviser.
17Ghani later put him in charge of the capital in March 2020.
18Like many other former Ghani allies, Sultanzoy criticized the former president for fleeing the country.
19Ghani did not tell members of his own government.
20"As members of the cabinet, we should have been informed," Sultanzoy said.
21"At least we should have had a meeting."
22In an August 18 video message from the United Arab Emirates, where he is now living, Ghani defended his decision.
23He said he was "forced to leave" Afghanistan to avoid more violence.
24Much of the world's attention is on the evacuation of thousands of Americans and Afghans from Kabul.
25Afghanistan still lacks a new national government.
26But city officials have continued to provide basic services, Sultanzoy said.
27He said efforts had already started to remove barriers on streets and sidewalks.
28"Once security is restored, all these barriers should be removed," he added.
29Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid spoke to reporters in Kabul on Tuesday.
30He said the city has also restarted collecting waste.
31But there are problems. With the lack of security, some city residents have started building illegal housing at night, Sultanzoy said.
32The Taliban has not yet formed a new government.
33But they have started hiring new police officers after thousands resigned their jobs after the militants captured the city, Sultanzoy said.
34And Mujahid said the former head of Kabul's traffic police has been renamed to his position.
35"Kabul has a city government. This government should be allowed to function," Sultanzoy said.
36"That's why I didn't quit my job, because if I had quit my job, it would have been very irresponsible. It would have been an act of treason."
37I'm Dan Novak.
1Mohammad Daoud Sultanzoy is the mayor of Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. The Taliban has taken control of the city but has kept him in office. 2The mayor has some words of advice for the militant group. Sultanzoy spoke with VOA's Afghanistan Branch on Monday. He said if the Taliban does not listen to the people's interests and dreams "they, too, will be seen" as a group that advanced religious, ethnic and regional interests. "And their reputation will be damaged." 3Sultanzoy is a well-known politician with no connections to the Taliban. He was among a few senior officials who were permitted to keep their jobs after the Taliban took power in Kabul on August 15. Most other leaders resigned or fled the country. 4Sultanzoy said the Taliban called him the day after entering Kabul, home to about 5 million people. The Taliban asked him to continue to do his job. 5"So I went to work," he said. "Until I'm told otherwise, I'll continue to work. This is my country. I don't work for any individual or group. I serve my city's residents. I'm from Kabul, and I'll live in Kabul." 6Sultanzoy is a pilot by training. He served in the Afghan parliament from 2005 to 2010 and ran for president in 2014. He lost the 2014 election to Ashraf Ghani, who later named Sultanzoy a top adviser. Ghani later put him in charge of the capital in March 2020. 7Like many other former Ghani allies, Sultanzoy criticized the former president for fleeing the country. Ghani did not tell members of his own government. 8"As members of the cabinet, we should have been informed," Sultanzoy said. "At least we should have had a meeting." 9In an August 18 video message from the United Arab Emirates, where he is now living, Ghani defended his decision. He said he was "forced to leave" Afghanistan to avoid more violence. 10Much of the world's attention is on the evacuation of thousands of Americans and Afghans from Kabul. Afghanistan still lacks a new national government. But city officials have continued to provide basic services, Sultanzoy said. 11He said efforts had already started to remove barriers on streets and sidewalks. "Once security is restored, all these barriers should be removed," he added. 12Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid spoke to reporters in Kabul on Tuesday. He said the city has also restarted collecting waste. 13But there are problems. With the lack of security, some city residents have started building illegal housing at night, Sultanzoy said. 14The Taliban has not yet formed a new government. But they have started hiring new police officers after thousands resigned their jobs after the militants captured the city, Sultanzoy said. And Mujahid said the former head of Kabul's traffic police has been renamed to his position. 15"Kabul has a city government. This government should be allowed to function," Sultanzoy said. "That's why I didn't quit my job, because if I had quit my job, it would have been very irresponsible. It would have been an act of treason." 16I'm Dan Novak. 17Shaista Lami reported this story for Voice of America. Dan Novak adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 18_______________________________________ 19Words in This Story 20advance - v. to help the progress of something 21regional - adj. having to do with a part or area of a country 22reputation - n. the common opinion that people have about someone 23resident - n. someone who lives in a particular place 24restore - v. to bring something back to an earlier state 25evacuation - n. an effort to remove people from a dangerous place or situation 26allow - v. to permit; to let happen 27function - v. to work; to operate