Ivory Coast's former first lady campaigns ahead of presidential polls

Simone Gbagbo, the former first lady of Ivory Coast, has spent the week campaigning in the southwestern part of the Ivory Coast.

She is the surprise inclusion in the list of five candidates cleared to contest the upcoming presidential election.

Incumbent President Alassane Ouattara is widely expected to secure a fourth term in the 25 October vote. But Gbagbo, whose ex-husband Laurent lost to Ouattara in the 2010 poll, believes otherwise.

“I want us to participate in the elections because, I believe that we can win,” she told supporters in Guberoua, the village of her campaign manager and former minister, Charles Blé Goudé.

Widely seen as the “power behind the throne” during her husband’s time in office from 2000 to 2011, she was known as the “iron lady” because of her reputation for being tough.

Of the five candidates, two are women. Simone Gbagbo and Henriette Lagou, a former minister.

“I think this idea [women’s candidacy] is much less shocking now than it would have been 20 or 30 years ago,” said Gbagbo.

“Ivorian women are now recognised and can be found in all sectors and at all levels of responsibility. So, confidence in women has increased.”

The stakes in this presidential election are high for the country of approximately 33 million inhabitants, the world’s leading producer of cocoa with strong growth in gold production.

In addition to Gbagbo and Lagou, several other political figures are in the running including Ouattara, Jean-Louis Billon of the Democratic Congress, and independent candidate Ahoua Don Mello.

With several key political leaders barred, including her ex-husband, there have been fears of post-election instability.

Simone and other contenders are stepping up calls for a peaceful campaign as the parties of disqualified candidates call for demonstrations.

“Doing brutal violent actions, I don't think it pays off. I would like to call on them [the organisers of protest marches] to abandon this path and choose the voice of the vote,” said Simone.

Winning the presidency after a long, active, and sometimes controversial career in Ivorian politics, would make the 76-year-old the country's first female president.