A demonstration by Ivorian opposition parties, banned on Friday to "maintain public order," was dispersed on Saturday with tear gas by security forces in Abidjan, AFP journalists reported.

The political climate in the country is tense, particularly since the Constitutional Council rejected the presidential candidacies of the main opposition parties in September, including those of former President Laurent Gbagbo (2000-2011) and the leader of the main opposition party, Tidjane Thiam.

Their parties had announced a demonstration on Saturday "for democracy, justice and peace", banned the day before by the Abidjan prefecture due to "the need to maintain public order."

On Saturday morning, several trucks of police and gendarmes were deployed in front of the Saint-Jean church in Cocody, where the demonstrators were gathering.

A few dozen meters away, small groups of demonstrators called for democracy and notably contested the candidacy of outgoing President Alassane Ouattara for a fourth term.

They were dispersed by tear gas and dozens of them were arrested by the police after a chase.

"Alassane Ouattara is not the choice of Ivorians. We are not in a democracy, we are in a dictatorial power," one activist who came to demonstrate and wished to remain anonymous told AFP.

"His time has come, he just has to leave the fourth term," said Marie Rolande Gouho Zion, another protester.

Opposition officials were not visible at the demonstration.

Journalists present to cover the demonstration were assaulted by the police, who seized professional equipment and deleted images they contained.

In Blockauss, a village in the commune of Cocody, other demonstrators were also dispersed by the police using several tear gas shots and several activists were arrested.

"There will be other protests," said one protester on condition of anonymity.

- Situation "generally calm" -

Demonstrations were still ongoing in some places late morning in Blockauss.

Inside the country, a barricade was cleared by police in Akoupé, a town in southeastern Ivory Coast located 142 km from Abidjan, a security source told AFP.

"The situation is generally calm across the country," added this source, who confirmed several arrests.

The election campaign, in which five candidates will compete, opened on Friday and will last 14 days.

Outgoing President Alassane Ouattara, in power since 2011, opened his campaign at a rally on Saturday in Daloa, in the west.

Four opposition candidates are qualified to challenge Mr. Ouattara: former Trade Minister Jean-Louis Billon, a PDCI dissident; two former comrades of Laurent Gbagbo who have broken with him; his ex-wife Simone Ehivet Gbagbo; and former Minister Ahoua Don Mello; and finally, Henriette Lagou, who was already a candidate in 2015.