While the eyes of the world have been focused on the U.S. presidential elections for several weeks, many elections have been held in the meantime on the African continent, albeit in stormy conditions.
In Guinea first, where President Alpha Conde was re-elected on October 18 for a third term highly contested by the opposition, after a campaign marked by violence causing dozens of deaths.
Then in Tanzania, where on October 28th, John Magufuli, nicknamed the “bulldozer”, was re-elected for a second term which was much debated, after having arrested 150 members and leaders of the opposition, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet.
Finally, in Côte d’Ivoire, whose election on October 31 was feared, since August, more than 80 deaths have been reported. Alassane Ouattara was re-elected for a third term also very controversial: the opposition had engaged in a movement of “civil disobedience” to challenge the unconstitutionality of the candidacy of the outgoing president and boycott the election. Fearing an escalation of violence, Ouattara and his rival Henri Bédié finally met on November 11 to try to avoid the escalation of violence and the great divide that the country has already suffered in 2010 (more than 3,000 deaths).
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