Political parties in Ivory Coast on Thursday started campaigning officially for the presidential election on October 31.
Four candidates are contesting the presidential race with key opposition figures being Pascal Affi N’Guessan of the Ivorian Popular Front party and former President Henri Konan Bedie, 86, for the PDCI-RDA party.
A former president, Laurent Gbagbo and a former prime minister, Guillaume Soro have all been barred from contesting in the election.
President Alassane Ouattara is seeking a third term in office, a decision that has sparked protests and agitations.
On Saturday, thousands of opposition supporters held a major protest against the President’s re-election bid.
Opposition parties have called for civil disobedience to protest against President Ouattara. They say the third term bid is illegal.
The 76-year-old who has been in office since 2011 said he wanted the new generation to take over.
But the man he picked to run on the ticket of the ruling party, Prime Minister, Amadou Gon Coulibaly suddenly died in August.
Coulibaly’s death forced Ouattara to renege on his promise not to seek a third term in office.
Ivory Coast: Ouattara’s third-term bid sparks protests from citizens
Source: Africafeeds.com
