Kando has been accused of signing a protocol on behalf of Générations et Peuples Solidaires (GPS), a citizens’ movement founded by Guillaume Soro, which has been “dissolved” by the courts.
A coalition of political parties and civil society organizations has expressed concern over Kando’s arrest, stating that “it is alarming that a citizen has been detained for signing on behalf of a political movement that remains active, pending an appeal.”
The opposition contends that Kando’s arrest is an example of the judicial system being manipulated for political purposes, aimed at intimidating political leaders and civil society in their pursuit of unity.
The grouping of opposition parties and civil society organizations emphasizes that their collective goal is to ensure “democratic electoral conditions that adhere to international standards.”
“In light of this, we denounce the arbitrary arrest and demand the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Soumahoro Kando. We stand ready to defend his rights as a citizen, just as we would for any other Ivorian facing similar circumstances,” the coalition’s statement declared.
Kando participated in a press conference on August 9, 2024, hosted by the collective of opposition parties and civil society organizations at the PDCI-RDA headquarters in Abidjan-Cocody. During this event, he signed a joint declaration calling for electoral reforms and inclusive, transparent, and democratic elections in preparation for the Ivorian presidential election scheduled for October 2025.
On August 11, 2024, Kando reportedly received a call inviting him to a hearing at the Abidjan police headquarters. One of his lawyers promptly arrived to ensure that a formal summons had been issued.
Kando informed authorities that although GPS had initially been declared dissolved, its lawyers had filed an appeal, meaning the movement should still be permitted to operate until the appeal court confirmed the dissolution.
Additionally, Kando’s defense stated that the GPS lawyers’ association “immediately appealed to the Supreme Court on February 22, 2023, and is currently awaiting a hearing.”
The opposition also noted that certain political organizations involved in the initiative were not allowed to sign the document, unlike GPS, asserting that GPS had suspended its dissolution pending the outcome of its Supreme Court appeal, which has yet to be addressed.
The opposition party, Parti Démocratique de Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI), stated that it is “prepared to defend the rights of its citizens, just as it would for anyone else,” while clarifying that it is “in no way allied with GPS.”
AP/Sf/fss/abj/APA