Ivory Coast constitutional referendum to be held in October

Ivorian president on Saturday announced the creation of the post of a vice- president and a senate outlined in the framework of a new constitution. This comes at the back of the parliament voting en masse in July, in favour of a referendum the new constitution.

During a state of the nation address on the eve of the country’s 56 independence anniversary, President Alassane Ouattara said the creation of the post of a vice- president will ensure peace and stability in case there is a power vacuum in the west African nation.

With regards to the senate, the president said that it will be composed of former state workers of exemplary qualities.

“We must re-write our history,” he stressed. The drafting of the new constitution was one of the campaign promises of Ouattara who was re-elected for a second and last term of 5 years in October last year.

However, an opposition coalition comprising 23 political parties is against the move, saying the creation of the post of a vice- president is a ploy by president Ouattara to choose his preferred successor.

Ivorians will head for referendum on the new constitution in end October, ahead of parliamentary elections later this year.

AFP