Ivory Coast dissolves electoral commission amid criticism | Story

A new agency that has not been named to oversee the elections after the dissolution of the alleged agency is not independent.

The government of the Ivory Coast has dissolved the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) after persistent criticism from the opposition over the conduct of the elections.

“Given the doubts about the organization and the criticism it has faced, the Council of Ministers has decided to dissolve it,” said Communications Minister Amadou Coulibaly at a press conference after the cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Coulibaly said the move was aimed at ushering in a new electoral process but stopped short of naming a successor to the CEI.

“I cannot tell you at this time what the new strategy will be, which will be discussed and implemented in the government,” he said.

The goal, he said, “is to ensure that the organization of peaceful elections is always stable by creating great confidence and reassuring all the people of Ivory Coast and the political community”.

Objections to objections

Opposition parties have criticized the organization for not being independent, saying its membership is aligned with the ruling party.

Officials denied such claims.

The CEI, which was created in 2001, has overseen all elections in Ivory Coast since the end of military rule in 2000. Its main task was to ensure the strict application of electoral laws.

However, it has been at the center of major electoral disputes, including the 2010 presidential election, whose disputed results sparked months of deadly violence.

Ivory Coast last held a presidential election in October when President Alassane Ouattara won the fourth term with almost 90 percent of the vote after several opponents were banned from running, which led to criticism from the opposition and the government’s involvement in the process.