Coup Rumours Debunked As Côte d’Ivoire’s President Chairs Cabinet Meeting

President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire led a cabinet meeting on Wednesday at the presidential palace in Abidjan, putting to rest online rumours of a military coup.

Photos and a statement released by the presidency confirmed that Ouattara was present at the meeting, alongside his ministers.

During the session, officials discussed key national issues, including expanding electricity sources and improving housing for citizens.

While the meeting was going on, social media was flooded with false claims that the military had overthrown the government and that President Alassane Ouattara may have been killed.

One user on X (formerly Twitter) even claimed there was an internet blackout in the country.

“Internet access in the country has been disrupted,” the user wrote.

These rumours quickly spread across multiple platforms—X, Facebook, TikTok, and even some mainstream media sites.

On Facebook alone, nearly 10,000 users engaged with posts about the alleged coup. Some posts also falsely claimed that the army chief, Lassina Doumbia, had died.

However, journalists based in Côte d’Ivoire have confirmed that none of these claims are true.

Speaking to The Cable, Christelle Kouamé, a journalist based in Abidjan, dismissed the reports as fake news.

She said, “There is no coup in Côte d’Ivoire. The country is stable.”

Kouamé, who also serves on the executive council of the National Union of Journalists of Côte d’Ivoire, said President Ouattara recently attended the Africa CEO Forum and was clearly active in state affairs.

She also refuted claims of an internet shutdown, saying she had no trouble connecting to speak with reporters.

“The president was also recently at the opening of the Africa CEO Forum. It was last week. There was even a council of ministers today. And President Ouattara was there.

“It is fake news. People do what they want with the internet. But it is thanks to the internet that I speak to you,” she said, debunking rumours of disrupted internet access.

False coup rumours have become more frequent in West Africa, where countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger have all experienced military takeovers in recent years.

These events have heightened fears in neighbouring countries and created a climate of uncertainty.

The latest wave of misinformation in Côte d’Ivoire comes just days before the country hosts the African Development Bank’s annual meetings, where a new AfDB president is expected to be elected, following Akinwumi Adesina’s two-term leadership.

KanyiDaily recalls that Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, who is also the ECOWAS Chairman, had expressed concern over the military coup in West Africa.