Cote d’Ivoire: Men Too Strong, Institutions Too Weak

In his maiden speech on Africa and to Africans on July 11, 2009 in Accra, Ghana, President Barack Obama stated that “Africa doesn’t need strongmen; it needs strong institutions”. None could suspect that the admonition would turn prophetic barely two years later in Cote d’Ivoire.The history of post-independence Cote d’Ivoire, as is the case in Africa in general, is not only one of competition and rivalry between personalities but also, of conflict between personality and primacy of institutions. President Felix Houphouet-Boigny ruled Cote d’Ivoire from August 1960 until his death in December 1993. After the death of President Houphouet-Boigny, a fierce power struggle erupted between then-Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara and Henry Konan Bedie, Speaker of the National Assembly. Bedie in a televised address announced that he was taking over as president. Although Bedie’s action was constitutional, the self-proclaimed take-over in televised pronouncement bypassed and undermined institutional order and protocol.President Bedie had only cleared one hurdle with the tactical elimination of Ouattara; he had yet to face a formidable foe, General Robert Guei, Minister of Defense at the time. General Guei had been at odds with Bedie since the death of Houphouet. In the brief contest between Bedie and Ouattara over the succession of the late President, the general sided with Ouattara and was subsequently fired.Although it is the prerogative of a president to hire and fire ministers, it is interesting to note the underlining personality conflicts. Whether Ouattara and Guei were effective ministers was secondary. Perhaps in the judgment of Bedie, the cohesion of the apparatus of government was of utmost importance. In any case, his strong personality prevailed.On Christmas Eve 1999, General Robert Guei toppled the government of Konan Bedie, suspended the constitution, and proclaimed himself the Head of State. The military regime lasted for only ten months. A new constitution was enacted barring all credible contenders including Alassane Ouattara and Konan Bedie. Elections were held in October 2000. General Guei lost to Laurent Gbagbo, a life-long opposition leader. Guei refused to recognize the results and hand-over power. He was however compelled by violent street protests to abandon power.In the instances of ascendance to the Presidency so far considered, stronger personalities emerged to the detriment national institutional norms. The November/December 2010 elections were no exception. They offered more tragic and dramatic episodes than the previous ones; more tragic because the dispute ended in untold material and human losses, and dramatic because it witnessed the clash between two venerable institutions. Whereas the Independent Electoral Commission declared Mr. Ouattara the winner, the Constitutional Council, the final arbiter proclaimed and swore in Mr. Gbagbo as president. In their respective judgments, the two institutions seem more influenced by the strong personalities involved than the strength of the institutions. Mr. Alassane Ouattara, the victor in this latest duel of strong personalities will not have confidence in the Constitutional Council as presently constituted; it is possible that a reshuffle of the members is essential. Whether a reconstituted Electoral Commission and/or Council would make the institutions strong enough to stand the test of undue influences is anybody’s guess. With regard to President Barack Obama’s admonition, those who heard him speak clapped loudly, but it seems that few listened. Kofi Mable is a graduate in Political Psychology Studies from the Elliott School of International Affairs, GWU. He is interested in researching on "leaders and followers relationships" mainly in underdeveloped countries, Africa in particular. He was a staff of the U. N. Refugee Agency with firsthand experience in many conflict zones, such as Angola, Liberia, and Rwanda, among others. This image is being used under Creative Commons licensing. The original source can be found here.