Ivory Coast's former First Lady Simone Gbagbo, 76, is the surprise inclusion in a list of five candidates who have been officially cleared to contest next month's presidential election.
She will run against President Alassane Ouattara, 83, who took power after she and her former husband, Laurent Gbagbo, were captured in a presidential bunker during the conflict that hit the country after the 2010 election.
However, the ex-president has been barred from contesting the poll, along with former Prime Minister Pascal Affi N'Guessan and the ex-Credit Suisse bank CEO, Tidjane Thiam.
The disqualification of key opposition figures has raised concerns regarding the legitimacy of the presidential election set for October 25 and triggered fears of potential unrest.
Thiam condemned his disqualification as an act of democratic vandalism, alleging that the Ouattara administration is organizing a sham election to maintain control.
Ouattara has held the presidency since 2011, following Laurent Gbagbo's arrest for refusing to accept defeat in the previous election.
Initially limited to serving two terms, Ouattara was allowed to seek re-election after a constitutional change in 2016 that resulted in a boycott from the opposition during the last vote in 2020.
Simone Gbagbo's candidacy is significant not just for its political implications but also symbolically, marking a rare opportunity for female leadership in a country where women are underrepresented in government roles. Currently, only 30% of Ivorian parliamentarians are women.
Once referred to as The Iron Lady, her political involvement has seen her rise to prominence, although overshadowed by her past amidst the violence post-2010 elections, which claimed over 3,000 lives. Despite her prior sentencing to 20 years in prison, she received amnesty in 2018.
Her campaign is framed around rebuilding the nation and promoting a sovereign Africa, presenting her as a symbol for Ivorian women aspiring to leadership positions.
The official election campaign begins on 10 October. With 8.7 million registered voters, concerns about public trust and potential unrest loom large following the exclusion of several influential candidates.
All eyes will be on Simone Gbagbo, and whether she can alter the leadership narrative in her favor.
