Ivorian opposition urges reconciliation, clemency for detainees after elex unrest

'I want people in Africa to come together again’ - Ivorian opposition urges reconciliation, clemency for detainees after elex unrest

President of the Pan-African Congress for Justice and Equality of Peoples (COJEP) Charles Ble Goude called on Sunday for national reconciliation in Ivory Coast, urging President Alassane Ouattara to exercise 'clemency' toward citizens imprisoned amid post-election unrest.

“I want people in Africa to come together again, to live together again. I think this is possible because it was possible in South Africa. It was possible in Rwanda. It was possible in the USA,” Goude said during a COJEP meeting.

He cited the late South African leader Nelson Mandela as an example of achieving national unity through forgiveness. “When he was released, he didn’t take revenge. He took his time […] He stopped his people from revenge, because he wanted them to belong to South Africa. This is what I want to do here in Cote d’Ivoire,” he continued.

The opposition leader congratulated President Ouattara on his victory in the October 2025 election, urging him to exercise “clemency toward our brothers and sisters who were imprisoned in connection with the demonstrations related to the October 2025 election.”

The elections came amid mounting tensions, as opposition candidates alleged low turnout and voting irregularities. Security forces reported several injuries and deaths during post-election unrest.

Ouattara won his fourth term as president of Ivory Coast, securing around 89.77% of the vote, according to the Constitutional Council.