Despite not releasing any public statement indicating interest in the upcoming presidential elections, supporters of former Ivory Coast President, Laurent Gbagbo, have announced their intention to file candidacy in his name. This comes a day after an Ivorian court confirmed the decision to strike off the ex-leader from its electoral list.
The pro-Gbagbo coalition, Together for Democracy and Sovereignty, said in a statement that: “it will submit President Laurent Gbagbo’s candidacy, in line with scheduled procedures.”
Sins of the Past in Ivory Coast
A day earlier, a court in Ivory Coast confirmed the decision of the country’s electoral commission to strike-off Gbagbo from the electoral list in line with a statement made by the president of the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), Ibrahim Coulibaly-Kuibiert, who informed members of the press that anyone convicted of a crime would be struck from the list of candidates. Four contenders in all were barred from standing in the election on those grounds.
Gbagbo’s case dates back to 2010, when he, then president, refused to cede to the victor, Alassane Ouattara, resulting in months of ensuing violence that claimed around 3,000 lives. Gbagbo, who is currently living in Belgium, was tried and freed conditionally by the International Criminal Court (ICC). However, he was sentenced in Ivory Coast to a 20-year term last November for the “looting” of the local branch of the Central Bank of the West African States (BCEAO) during the post-election crisis. Chances are, he might face jail time upon his return to his home country.
A Tense Election Year for Ivory Coast
With the October 31 polls less than 3 months away, engines appear to have revved up in the country with prospective candidates having up until Monday, August 31, 2020, to file their bid.
President Ouattara’s decision to seek a third term following the sudden death of Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly, his anointed successor, has been met with protests that have claimed several lives. While the constitution limits presidents to two terms, Ouattara and his supporters argue that a 2016 constitutional tweak reset the clock, allowing him to seek a third.
