Ivorian electoral observers in Senegal to supervise the presidential election? It’s hard to believe, yet that’s what happened this Sunday, March 24. I had to rewatch the France 24 report on YouTube and do several Google searches to convince myself. It’s quite a funny action, and I’ll tell you why.
Sunday March 24, 2024, like all people interested in news and politics, I turned on the TV to follow the information on the presidential election in Senegal. I chose France 24 to do it. I then came across a report announcing the opening of the polling stations (BV) and the arrival of the first Senegalese voters.
“Did you notice anything unusual?” »
In this video (see below), an Ivorian NGO called Ramapaix tours the BV to inquire about the progress of the election. It is its president Trésor Raby who asks questions to the electoral agents. The man asks: “Since this started, have you noticed anything abnormal?” “. And an agent replied: “No, no! “.
Report from France 24 on the presidential election in Senegal, Sunday March 24, 2024
For election observers to tour polling stations during a presidential election is a truly commonplace occurrence. Unless they are supervisors from a country not known to be democratic. To better understand, imagine Russian observers present in France to supervise the French presidential election. That would be funny!
We play observers in a country known for its democracy
So it is ridiculous, and even inappropriate, to see Ivorians don the straitjacket of supervisors in a country with a long democratic tradition. I’m sure the Senegalese election officials were wondering what’s going on. It was still strange to see nationals of an autocratic state play such a role. Côte d’Ivoire has never been a model in terms of elections so that its citizens allow themselves to control the voting of others. It has never organized a fair, transparent and peaceful election.
In Ivory Coast, elections have always been violent, non-transparent and exclusive
The elections recently organized in Côte d’Ivoire have nothing to envy of those orchestrated in Russia. Selection of the opposition candidate (a stooge) by those in power, leaders sidelined, in prison or forced into exile, Stalinist scores, violence in the BV, blockade of party headquarters and residences of opponents still at large, etc. To this must be added the fact that the president modifies the Constitution and invents all kinds of arguments to multiply mandates. Putin is surely green with jealousy seeing Alassane Ouattara doing better than him…
Better for Ramapaix prepare for the Ivorian presidential election of 2025
In such a context, an Ivorian NGO cannot claim to supervise elections in West Africa’s only democracy, even if its intentions were noble. A question of common sense. Ramapaix had better prepare for the Ivorian presidential election in 2025. The organization will have its work cut out for it. This election promises sparks. It will need observers, especially those of integrity, more than that of Senegal.