Authorities in Côte d’Ivoire have urged young people in the Zuénoula region to resist political manipulation as the country approaches the 2025 presidential elections, emphasising the importance of work and community engagement.
The call was made on Saturday by Gombagui Gueu Georges, Prefect of the Marahoué region and head of Bouaflé department, during the fourth leg of a regional awareness campaign promoting peaceful elections.
Speaking at a public gathering in Kanzra, the sub-prefecture’s administrative centre, he stressed that productive work was the best safeguard against being exploited by politicians.
“Allez travailler! You believe that a young person who has their own field to harvest will leave their cocoa or cashew behind to follow a politician on the campaign trail? No! Work, we still have land here,” he told the crowd.
Warning against political manipulation, the prefect reminded youth that relying on political promises is misguided. “Those who dream of changing their lives through political speeches are mistaken, because the law of nature is simple: it is work that changes a person’s condition,” he said.
He encouraged young people to avoid shortcuts and invest in their own efforts. “We can change governments, but if you do not work, your situation will not change,” he added.
Gombagui also highlighted the vital role of traditional leaders, religious figures, and mothers in promoting peace and civic responsibility. “When we say that the night brings advice, the night does not speak. It is the mothers who speak at night, and their words become advice. Continue speaking to our children so that they reject violence and choose peace.”
The prefect praised Tra Bi Jamal, president of the Kanzra Development Association, for his leadership and commitment to social cohesion. “This is the first time I have seen an association organise an event of such social and civic importance. What you are doing here is an example to follow,” he said.
Tra Bi Jamal reaffirmed the community’s dedication to neutrality during the electoral period. “Preventing campaigning or supporting a particular candidate is not within our responsibilities. Our role is to maintain cohesion and remind everyone that elections pass, but authority and coexistence remain,” he said.
He urged village chiefs, youth leaders, and women’s groups to set an example by preserving peace, in line with the regional awareness initiative led by the prefectural authorities.
The fourth stage of the regional caravan promoting peaceful elections in Zuénoula was attended by prefectural officials from five departments, service directors, political leaders, and traditional and community representatives.
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