Cote d’Iviore Prime Minister, Daniel Duncan has announced that he and his entire government were stepping down on Monday. A cabinet reshuffle had already been expected, but it was delayed because of a mutiny by soldiers over pay. A new cabinet was expected to be in place by Tuesday, a report added.
Cote d’Ivoire’s prime minister Daniel Kablan Duncan resigned along with his government ,a day after the end of a short-lived army mutiny that raised security fears in the world’s top cocoa producer.
Although the resignation is standard procedure as it follows legislative elections in December, it comes at a time of mounting speculation that former rebel leader Guillaume Soro engineered Friday’s mutiny as he is angling for the prime ministerial post or the vice presidency.
The mutiny began on Friday when aggrieved soldiers in Bouake demanded their bonus payments and took control of the city. Soldiers stationed across the West African country followed suit shortly thereafter, culminating in the taking over of the military headquarters in Abidjan, the largest city in the country, on Saturday.
Ivorian Minister of Defense Alain Richard Donwahi flew in to Bouake in an attempt to defuse the situation, but was kidnapped by rogue soldiers and held in detention for two hours. AFP reported that the defense minister has since been released.
President Alassane Ouattara announced on state television on Saturday night that a deal had been reached putting an end to the uprising.
“I confirm that I have agreed to take into account the demands of the soldiers over bonuses and better working conditions,” he said.
A troop involved in the mutiny confirmed to Reuters that the mutineers and the government came to an agreement on Saturday night.
“We have cleared the corridors everywhere as promised and we have been in barracks since last night,” Sergeant Mamadou Kone stated. “All over the country all our men have returned to barracks and wait for their money. The mutiny is over.”