By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Tunisia’s electoral authority, High Independent Authority for Elections (ISIE) has disqualified three would-be presidential candidates from contesting the October 6 election despite a ruling of the court clearing them to seek election.
The three contenders had last week won appeals at the Administrative Court against the decision of ISIE disqualifying them from running.
On Monday however, the body reiterated that only three presidential candidates, including incumbent President Kais Saied are in the register as duly qualified candidates for the poll.
Giving reason for their disqualification, the authority said they failed to secure the minimum endorsements constitutionally required to run for the election.
They were among 14 hopefuls whose bids for the race were rejected.
According to the ISIE, its initial list of three persons was “definitive and not subject to appeal.”
It said it was maintaining the same list announced on August 10 because “the administrative court did not officially communicate its decisions within the 48-hour deadline according to the law.”
The two persons cleared along with the incumbent President Saied for the poll include, former parliamentarian Zouhair Maghzaoui and businessman Ayachi Zammel.
Zammel was however arrested earlier Monday on charges of lying about details of his campaign, according to his team.
He is the only approved candidate to be arrested, but he joins a list of presidential hopefuls who have been imprisoned or are facing prosecution.
Saied was democratically elected in 2019 but orchestrated a sweeping power grab in 2021.
On Saturday, a petition signed by prominent Tunisians and civil society groups urged that rejected candidates be allowed to stand in the October election.
Heritage Times HT reports that President Saied who is seeking a second term in office has come under criticism for using “arbitrary restrictions” and intimidation to stop opposition leaders from seeking to oust him through the ballot.
Activists and civil society organizations say the electoral commission is not neutral and is seeking to eliminate all serious competitors to pave the way for Saied’s victory.
Saied elected in 2019 had in a sweeping power grab dissolved parliament and seized control of all powers in 2021.
Saied has however vowed that “he would not hand over the country to non-patriots”.
