Thousands of Ivorians took to the streets in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, to protest against the exclusion of opposition leaders from the upcoming presidential election. Ivory Coast, the largest economy in francophone West Africa, is due to hold a presidential vote in October. 

Earlier this year, four main opposition figures, including former President Laurent Gbagbo and former Credit Suisse chief executive Tidjane Thiam, were barred from running by the electoral commission. 

Last month, 83-year-old Alassane Ouattara announced that he would seek a fourth term. Ouattara’s candidacy is contested after he changed the constitution in 2016 to remove presidential term limits. 

Lulu Gaboo spoke to Dr Jean Nazaire Oyourou, a representative of the African People's Party of Côte d'Ivoire, one of the parties that organised the march.