Ex-Ivorian international Bonaventure Kalou has been elected mayor of Vavoua, a city located in central part of Ivory Coast.
The former Paris Saint Germain, Auxerre and Feyenoord midfielder was elected during last Saturday’s municipal elections, he run as an independent candidate.
“I have a feeling of pride and I have an emotional thought for my father, (who died in 2016) who would have liked to be mayor of this area, I’m following in his footsteps,†he said after his victory was confirmed.
“It is often thought that footballers are good only to hit the ball, we confine them in a role. I wanted to get out of this scheme. You can be a footballer and do politics or become an intellectual†he added
Kalou will be leading a city of over half a million population. The last census in the area put the population at 400,000 (2014). Vavoua is located in the center of the main cocoa region of Ivory Coast, the world’s largest producer.
“There is a sense of pride and also relief at having been elected against an electoral apparatus,†Kalou told the media.
Kalou reached fifty caps with the Elephants before retiring from international assignment. He won the Coupe de France twice during his time at PSG and Auxerre. He also won the Dutch championship with Feyenoord.
Bonaventure, 40, is elder brother of Solomon Kalou. He featured in the 2006 World Cup in Germany playing two matches and scoring once. He is the latest ex player to join politics after Liberia’s president George Weah in 2018 won the presidency after three attempts.