In 2010, Cote d’Ivoire witnessed a very devastating
and unprecedented post-election conflict. The conflict resulted in both
internal and external impact that over the years continue to affect the pace of
development in the nation. This study aimed to investigate the causes and main
drivers of the post-ele- ctoral crisis in Cote d’Ivoire in 2010. The
study used expository research design adopting in-depth interviews to collect
primary data and contextual approach to extract data from briefings from the
crisis; UN, EU and international election observation reports and published
information in press materials and peer-reviewed journals. The interviews were
conducted through cluster sampling method with Election observers, ECOWAS
Representation in Cote d’Ivoire, Staff of Abidjan
Political Research Center “Centre de Recherche
Politique d’Abidjan (CRPA)”, National and International Civil Society,
Political Experts, Conflict Experts, Political Scientists and Lecturers in the
field. Structural descriptive and expository methods were used to analyse and
present findings based on the Marxist and Liberal Structural theories of
conflict. The study found out that the 2010 electoral conflict was caused by
political flaws due to unclear policies and weak electoral institutions that
allowed political interruption and manipulation. Furthermore, national identity
was the main driver used by political actors to instrumentalize the conflict to
make it seem like a civil war. Illiteracy, tribalism and religion were
sensitive areas used to break social cohesion under the big umbrella of
national identity. The concept of citizenship should be re-conceptualized and
made clear in the constitution to prevent re-occurrence of post-election
conflict in the coming years like 2020.
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