Date Published: 09/07/11

Drogba, Banny among Ivorian reconciliatory committee

Didier Drogba

Chelsea forward Didier Drogba has been named to the 11-member Truth and Reconciliation Commission set up by Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara on Tuesday in Abidjan.

The commission, to be chaired by former Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny, was presented to newsmen after a meeting with the president.

Banny said Drogba was not present at the ceremony because of his club commitment in Europe and gave an assurance  that the footballer would play a key role in the reconciliation effort of the country.

Drogba is from the Bete tribe, the same as the former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo who was forcibly removed from office on April 11.

Gbagbo refused to leave office after he had lost an election in November 2010 which the UN and the international community said was won by former IMF official, Mr Alassane Ouatarra.  

The post-election violence that ensued led to the death of some 3,000 people.

Banny said spiritual and traditional rulers in the country were included in the commission because the ``spiritual plays a functional role in the reconciliation process in Africa’’.

He said the task of truth verification and reconciliation before the commission was herculean, but assured that the committee members were determined to calm frayed nerves across the country.

Banny said the committee would be officially inaugurated by Ouattara in Yamoussoukro on Sept, 28 and it would start sitting immediately

The commission was set up by Ouattara, who was sworn in on May 21. (NAN)