Voting begins in Côte d'Ivoire's controversial presidential election

31 Octobre 2020

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, October 31 (Infosplusgabon) - Polling stations opened on Saturday in Côte d'Ivoire in the West African country's controversial presidential election, according to the local media.

More than seven million voters are on the voters' the register to choose the president of Cote d'Ivoire in the tense election following the decision of President Alassane Ouattara, 78, to run for a third term.

Other candidates are Henri Konan Bédié, 86, Pascal Affi N'Guessan, 67, and Kouadio Konan Bertin, 51.

The opposition, which contests the candidacy of President Ouattara, has repeatedly called for a boycott of the election.

Violence during the campaign resulted in some 30 deaths.

More than 35,000 members of the defence and security forces were deployed to secure the polls.

According to the local media, blockages of the electoral process were noted in some polling stations throughout the country.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on all Ivorians to ensure that the polls are “conducted in a peaceful manner”.

The election is laden with tension over incumbent President Ouattara’s decision to run for a third term after having gone on record as saying that he would step down after two terms.

He decided to run after his chosen heir, Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly, died suddenly on 8 July.

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