Ivory Coast inaugurated on Thursday its first senate, an upper house to the West African nation’s parliament that President Alassane Ouattara called a “chamber of wisdom” but which the opposition says will tighten his grip on power. Its creation was a provision of a new constitution enacted in 2016. Ivory Coast’s main opposition groups boycotted the referendum that approved the charter as well as polls last month that elected 66 members to the 99-seat body.
“The senate is installed. It is an important chamber for the rooting of democracy,” said Ouattara, addressing the newly elected lawmakers bedecked in green, white and orange sashes – the colours of the Ivorian flag.
“It is a chamber of wisdom.”
The senate will be headed by Jeannot Ahoussou-Kouadio, a former prime minister and member of the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), the main coalition partner of Ouattara’s Rally of the Republicans (RDR).
