President of the National Transitional Council (CNT) Henri Konan Bédié is under house arrest, while some opposition leaders and activists have been arrested. The situation remains tense in the country as voices are raised to call for dialogue.
According to information from the Chief of Staff of the Executive Secretary, Jan Baptiste Kouamé, since Tuesday, November 3, “the security forces on duty have informed President Bédié that he was under house arrest. The domestic staff were released after checks ”. The same source reports the arrest of several members of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI). Among others, Maurice Kacou Guikahué, the executive secretary, Ndri Narcisse director of the cabinet of President Bédié, Me Suy Bi Gohoré, in charge of legal affairs, Me Blessy Chrysostome lawyer, Sery Bi N’guessan, executive secretary in charge of sections, departmental delegations and communal and Me Damoi Désiré, director of the party shop.
Other names of those arrested include three nephews and a niece of the president of the CNT (Marcel Bédié, Antoine Bédié, Andy Daniel Bédié, Bombo Alice Bédié) on the PDCI Facebook page. In a statement released on Wednesday, the United States Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire condemned the electoral violence and urged the relevant authorities to investigate all incidents of violence and to hold perpetrators and sponsors accountable.
“The United States calls on leaders in Côte d’Ivoire to show their commitment to the democratic process and the rule of law … We echo the call made to leaders in Côte d’Ivoire by the Observation Mission of African Union elections so that they renew the dialogue to preserve social cohesion… ”, notes Washington.
In the aftermath of the presidential election of October 31, 2020, the country is divided in two with supporters of power on one side and those of the opposition on the other.
