I Coast: Presidential candidate attacked

  1. Posted on Thursday 21 October 2010 - 09:47
    KingsleyKobo
    Image of KingsleyKobo
    Kingsley Kobo, AfricaNews reporter in Abidjan, Ivory Coast
    The convoy of Ivory Coast's presidential candidate and former Prime Minister Alassane Dramane Ouattara was attacked by assailants on Tuesday while he was travelling the hinterland on a campaign tour ahead of the presidential elections.
    Ivory Coast: Presidential candidate convoy attacked
    According to Ivorian daily L’Intelligent, the candidate’s convoy was ambushed near Elibou (north of Abidjan) by unidentified elements who laid logs and fat bricks to block the passage of the advancing motorcade, forcing it to stop and suffer hurling of stones from nearby bushes.

    The accompanying guards immediately riposted, firing warning shots in the air to disperse the assailants. A policeman and a journalist were reported to have sustained injuries. But Ouattara and his close collaborators were unharmed, and could continue their journey to attend scheduled rallies.

    Tearing of posters

    Local media have been reporting the tearing of posters by rival party supporters in Abidjan and in Bouaké – second largest city and rebel stronghold.

    Posters pasted by daytime are torn, disfigured by black paints or completely pilled off by night. The victims in turn go in search of where a suspected party’s posters are to carry out their vengeance.

    Some of those who removed posters from the walls and doors of their houses told AfricaNews it was not an act against a candidate or a party but to simply remain neutral out of fear.

    “I removed all the posters they put on my fence because I don’t want passers-by to feel I belong to that party or I support that candidate,” Koné Idrissa, a 42-year-old taxi driver said. “Nobody knows what will happen after the election. I don’t want rival party supporters to come building my house.”

    The electoral commission on Wednesday warned poster destroyers to cease from the act or would face the music if caught.

    Campaigns

    The campaigns entered the sixth day on Wednesday, with the 14 candidates intensifying their efforts across the country to convince close to six million voters to their cause. National television and radio RTI hold a 90-minute debate with one candidate every evening to expose their programmes to the public.

    Another five minute of airtime is given to each candidate per day for commercials.

    Besides unemployment, agriculture is dominating the campaigns slogans. Many promise to revive a dwindling café and cocoa sector, which is the West Africa nation’s chief export.

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