A month after Tidjane Thiam was elected the head of the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), the opposition party is gradually reorganizing. A transitional team has been established to oversee the party’s day-to-day affairs.
The primary focus of the transitional team is to organize the funeral proceedings for the late President Henri Konan Bédié, who passed away on August 1st, 2023. While no official date has been confirmed, the funeral arrangements involve coordination between the party, the family, and Ivorian authorities.
The second priority involves the restructuring of the party. A transitional team has been appointed, led by the Deputy Mayor of Port-Bouët, Sylvestre Emmou, with the support of five prominent figures. This team is tasked with managing the party’s current affairs, placing the executive secretariat, led by Maurice Kakou Guikahué since 2013, on temporary hold.
“Tidjane Thiam aims to bring a new perspective,” asserts Soumaïla Bredoumy, the spokesperson for the PDCI. “He is carefully observing to assemble a new team effectively,” he continues.
Thiam’s election appears to have generated momentum for the party. In recent weeks, 4,114 new memberships have been recorded, with 65% of these members being under 60 years old. The party plans to launch a nationwide caravan after the African Cup of Nations (CAN) to expand its reach.