AUTHORITIES in Ivory Coast have announced a sweeping two-month ban on political rallies and demonstrations just a week before the country’s presidential election, heightening political tension in the West African nation.
The order, jointly issued by the interior and defence ministries on Friday, bars all political activities and protests except those organised by the five candidates officially cleared to contest the October 25 vote.
The decision comes amid mounting unrest over the exclusion of major opposition figures, including former president Laurent Gbagbo and former minister Tidjane Thiam, from the race.
Security forces dispersed several rallies in Abidjan last weekend, while sporadic unrest and road blockades were reported in other regions. Public prosecutor Oumar Braman Kone said about 700 people were arrested within the week, claiming phone data had linked some suspects to planning attacks on public institutions, which he described as “acts of terrorism.”
At least 26 protesters have been sentenced to three years in prison for public order offences, while 105 others are due to appear in court next week. The Justice Minister, Sansan Kambile, said the clampdown was necessary to preserve national security, even as rights groups, including Amnesty International, accused the government of repressing dissent.
The opposition coalition, which includes Gbagbo’s African Peoples’ Party – Ivory Coast (PPA-CI) and Thiam’s Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), has denounced President Alassane Ouattara’s decision to seek a fourth term, calling it unconstitutional.
Ouattara, in power since 2011, faces four opponents in the upcoming election, among them former minister Jean-Louis Billon and ex-first lady Simone Gbagbo.
Protests sweep across Africa
The Ivorian unrest adds to a growing wave of political demonstrations across Africa in recent weeks. From Madagascar to Morocco, citizens have taken to the streets over governance failures, economic hardship, and electoral disputes.
In Kenya, anti-tax protests earlier in the month left several people injured as police clashed with demonstrators demanding better economic policies. Similar scenes were recorded in Sudan, where renewed protests erupted over food shortages and insecurity.
As the Ivory Coast prepares for its October 25 vote, observers warn that the ban on protests could further inflame tensions in a nation still grappling with memories of the 2010 post-election crisis that claimed more than 3,000 lives.
A reporter with the ICIR
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