'We Do Not Make a Promise That We Do Not Fulfill,' Says KDP Candidate

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - As the electoral clock struck midnight, officially launching the campaign for the sixth term of the Iraqi Parliament, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) candidate Shakhawan Abdullah issued a powerful and resonant appeal to the people of Kirkuk, framing the upcoming vote as a pivotal moment for the city's future.

In a press conference held early Friday morning, Abdullah called on all the residents of Kirkuk to rally with the same spirit that defined the historic census process, urging those displaced to return to their city on election day and cast their ballots for a party, he asserted, that has proven through concrete action its unwavering commitment to normalizing the city's fraught situation.

"The Kurdistan Democratic Party is the only political force that can normalize the situation of Kirkuk and protect the constitutional rights of citizens," he declared, anchoring his campaign on a simple yet profound pledge: "As always, we fulfill our promises and do not make a promise that we cannot fulfill."

The election campaign, which officially began at 12:00 AM on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025, will see political parties and candidates publicly vying for support across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region until the morning of Saturday, Nov. 8, ahead of the general election scheduled for Nov. 11.

For Shakhawan Abdullah, a prominent figure who has served as the Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, this campaign is a continuation of a long and arduous battle fought on multiple fronts—in the legislative halls of Baghdad, on the disputed farmlands of Kirkuk, and in the symbolic fight for Kurdish identity in the city.

His message to voters is not one of abstract ideals, but a direct reference to a tangible record of achievements which, he argues, substantiates his claim that the KDP is the sole entity capable of delivering on its commitments to the people of Kirkuk.

Abdullah's assertion that the KDP has "proven with action that it takes steps to normalize the situation" is backed by a series of significant legislative and political victories secured during the fifth parliamentary term.

He reminded the public that the KDP had insisted that occupied lands in Kirkuk must be returned to their original owners. "After much effort, the bill was passed in the parliament meeting," he stated, referring to the crucial annulment of Ba'athist-era decrees that had dispossessed countless Kurdish families.

This was a cornerstone of his work as Chairman of the Committee on Article 140, which also saw the revival of the long-stalled constitutional article, leading to the resumption of compensation payments and the allocation of land plots for families who had been displaced and have since returned to Kirkuk and other Kurdistani territories, from Sinjar to Khanaqin.

His list of accomplishments extends far beyond Kirkuk's immediate borders, illustrating a broader strategic effort to secure the rights of the Kurdistan Region within the federal system. Abdullah cited the passing of the law officially establishing Halabja as a province as a major achievement delivered by the KDP, alongside amendments to laws concerning martyrs and political prisoners that directly benefited the people of Kurdistan, and the successful recovery of 375 billion dinars in long-overdue payments for Kurdish farmers from the years 2014-2016.

These national-level victories, he argues, demonstrate the KDP's effectiveness in navigating the complex political landscape of Baghdad to produce tangible results for its constituents.

This track record of "fulfilled promises" is a theme Abdullah has consistently returned to, particularly when faced with political criticism. In a pointed response to Kirkuk's governor in August 2025, he detailed a comprehensive list of his projects, declaring that his fight was with "chauvinist occupiers," not fellow Kurds.

Among the most significant of these was the amendment of the provincial council election law, a move he credited with paving the way for elections in Kirkuk after a two-decade hiatus and ending the tenure of the previous governor. He also highlighted the deeply symbolic and politically charged return of the Kurdistan flag to Kirkuk in September 2021, which he raised over his office and later the KDP headquarters at a time when, he noted, it was being "insulted daily."

On the ground in Kirkuk, Abdullah pointed to concrete infrastructure and security projects, such as the successful implementation of the Panja Ali water project, which brought clean drinking water to a neighborhood that had suffered for twenty years, despite obstacles from the former governor.

Other initiatives included drilling new water wells, concreting hundreds of alleys, and installing dozens of electrical transformers in neglected Kurdish neighborhoods. In a critical security development, he mentioned securing the removal of the Shoraw military base, which had been a source of fear for residents due to midnight raids, and allocating a budget for the 20th Joint Brigade, a move that resulted in the employment of 3,700 Kurdish youths.

This record of action stands in stark contrast to the persistent and systematic pressures faced by the Kurdish population in Kirkuk and other Kurdistani territories, a reality that makes the fight for "normalization" so urgent.

While the Iraqi government in Baghdad makes sweeping promises of support, such as the recent announcement of a half-trillion dinar aid plan for farmers, the lived experience for many Kurdish agricultural communities is one of state-backed intimidation and dispossession.

In villages like Tapa Sawz in the Khurmatu district, Kurdish farmers have faced arrest warrants for defending their ancestral properties from seizure by Arab settlers who wield defunct Ba'ath-era contracts, often with the support of the Iraqi army. This campaign, which President Masoud Barzani has warned "reminds us of the Anfal," highlights a dangerous disconnect where one branch of the Iraqi state upholds farmers' rights on paper—with the Ministry of Agriculture itself affirming that their land falls under Article 140—while security forces on the ground actively support those seeking to displace them.

The pressure extends beyond land rights into the cultural and educational spheres. In July 2025, the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education issued a directive banning Kurdish-speaking students at the universities of Kirkuk, Mosul, and Diyala from answering exam questions in their native tongue, reversing a decade-old policy and threatening non-compliant universities with legal action.

This move was widely condemned as a direct violation of the Iraqi constitution, which recognizes Kurdish as an official language, and was seen as another tool to marginalize the Kurdish presence and identity in these contested areas.

It is against this backdrop of systemic challenges—from land grabs and legal intimidation to cultural suppression—that Shakhawan Abdullah and the KDP are framing the November 11 election.

Their campaign is not merely a political contest but a call to action for the preservation of Kurdish rights and identity in Kirkuk. By invoking his extensive record, from securing water projects and annulling Ba'athist decrees to making Halabja a province, Abdullah is making a direct appeal to voters: to choose a proven track record of fulfilled promises over the empty rhetoric of others.

His call for the displaced to return and vote is a mobilization effort aimed at ensuring that the demographic and political future of Kirkuk is determined by its own people, armed with the conviction that their votes will empower the one party, he argues, that has consistently fought for and delivered on its word.