HIBAPRESS
The Amazigh Association of Sonhaja in the Rif stated that the legislative elections held on September 23, 2026, in the Sonhaja region of Al Hoceima province witnessed, according to its assessment, the continued mechanisms of economic influence affecting electoral behavior, considering that the activity of illegal cannabis dealers constitutes one of the most prominent manifestations of this influence.
The association explained, in a statement issued in Targuist on September 25, that the connection of a number of unlicensed cannabis farmers with economic relations with dealers who buy their crops transforms, according to it, this relationship into influence that can be exploited during elections, by influencing the electoral choices of the farmers.
It added that the high voter turnout in the cannabis-growing areas of Al Hoceima province compared to the areas of Beni Ouriaghel-Bifyou is explained by the intervention of dealers in the electoral process, pointing out that some candidates resort to them to win the votes of cannabis farmers.
In contrast, the association considered that the candidacy of a number of young people from cannabis-growing areas reflects a desire for political participation, taking responsibility, and contributing to change from within institutions, despite the economic, social, and political constraints facing the region.
The association also criticized, in the same context, the use of tribal discourse by some candidates in the Ktama and Targuist constituency during election campaigns, considering that this reflects, in its words, a sense of exclusion and weak representation among a segment of the Sonhaja population, and linked this to the continued administrative and territorial dependence on Al Hoceima province since Morocco's independence.
The association demanded the isolation and prosecution of collective elected officials suspected of drug trafficking and the intensification of security operations to curb the spread of hard drugs, especially in the commune of Issaken.
It also called for the acceleration of the "New Issaken" city project and its elevation to an urban commune, alongside the creation of the Sonhaja province, headquartered in the city of Targuist, considering that this would enhance the administrative and institutional representation of the region.
The association also called for opening a national debate on the legalization of recreational cannabis use, considering that this would, according to its position, address the legal and economic vulnerability experienced by farmers and limit the influence of illegal dealers in the region.
At the end of its statement, the association noted what it described as the "positive" neutrality of the authorities during the recent electoral process and called on the Ministry of Interior and the relevant authorities to tighten surveillance on any potential use of funds derived from illicit activities to influence voters' will, and to take the necessary legal measures if proven.
