Despite two governments claiming power, days of violent protests and a curfew, business slowly resumed in the Ivory Coast’s economic capital yesterday as shops reopened and people returned to the streets.
“People have started coming out today, so we’re going to make some money,” said taxi driver Siaka Traore, as he slalomed between barricades erected in Abidjan’s normally busy Koumassi district.
“It’s been four days since I’ve been able to hit the streets,” he said.
Burned tyres and barricades bore witness to the protests launched by supporters of Alassane Ouattara and Laurent Gbagbo amid bitter political deadlock.
Former Prime Minister Ouattara has won international recognition as victor of the November 28 run-off presidential vote, but Mr Gbagbo has refused to give up the presidency and named his own Cabinet, prompting fears the former West African powerhouse may descend into conflict.
But after more than a week of tension, Abidjan appeared to be returning to normal. Cars returned to the streets, offices opened, and pirated CD sellers once again peddled their wares.
Security forces were mostly discreet, aside from outside important strategic sites like the headquarters of public broadcaster RTI, where a contingent of armed troops stood guard.
In the well-to-do Treichville district, families looked for ways to circumvent a blackout on international TV channels through pirated feeds.
“We want something other than RTI”, said one woman who did not want to give her name, echoing common criticism that the broadcaster is a spokesman for Mr Gbagbo.
The shortening of the curfew in place since November 28 to a seven-hour period overnight is also helping normality return, but business is still slow and many shopkeepers waited in vain for customers.
“This can’t go on. I didn’t have any customers yesterday,” said Ousmane, who sells art in a small shop in the upscale Cocody district and had to close for 10 days.
“Ten days without working. It’s like they’ve killed us,” said his neighbour, Waigalo Sambourou.
But according to Waigalo, being able to reopen his clothing shop was a good sign for the political situation. “Auntie Regina”, who runs a small restaurant, said many customers were complaining that the price of food and butane gas had doubled or tripled since the vote.
According to Auntie Regina, one customer asked her why a dish of rice and sauce had risen from 500 to 750 CFA francs (to around one euro/dollar).
“I told him ‘That’s like our country’,” she said, explaining that it mirrored the unique political inflation, which had seen a doubling in the numbers of presidents, prime ministers and governments since November 28.