The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on all Ivory Coast’s political parties to refrain from resorting to violence which has already claimed at least eight lives, reported Anadolu Agency.
Guterres condemned the recent violent incidents in the towns of Bonoua and Dabou.
“Guterres is concerned about the tense situation in Ivory Coast ahead of the October 31 presidential election,” his spokesperson said in a statement.
One person died and several others got injured in Bonoua, 60 kilometers (37 miles) east of the economic capital Abidjan, during an Ivorian opposition demonstration earlier this week. In Dabou, protests turned into intercommunal clashes, killing at least seven people.
The opposition has called for civil disobedience and boycott of the upcoming presidential polls. Violence has erupted in Ivory Coast since August when President Alassane Ouattara announced his candidacy for a third term, a move his opponents say violates the constitution. More than 20 people have died in protests and clashes between rival supporters so far.
The UN chief called out political leaders to “reject all hate speech and incitement to violence” and encouraged “all political actors and their supporters to engage in constructive dialogue and create an environment conducive to the holding of inclusive and peaceful elections.”
The nomination of 78-year-old President Ouattara and three other candidates have been approved for the October elections.
Former President Laurent Gbagbo and former rebel leader and parliament speaker Guillaume Soro have been barred from contesting the elections. Both Gbagbo and Soro were disqualified by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) over their alleged involvement in criminal cases.
The nomination of Mamadou Koulibaly of the Freedom and Democracy for the Republic party (LIDER) as also rejected by the IEC.
In related news, Ivory Coast’s government has decided to restructure the Independent Electoral Commission on the proposal of the ECOWAS Peace and Security Commission chaired by General Francis Béhanzin.
