Abidjan, Ivory Coast – In the working-class neighbourhood of Yopougon in Abidjan, at the famous Sapeurs-Pompiers crossroad, the aroma of grilled chicken and fish wafts through the air, as food stalls compete for attention along a stretch of lively local eateries.

But the bustling intersection in the country’s economic capital – normally packed with crowds late into the night – now empties out much earlier than usual, as residents rush home before dark in fear of election-related violence and because of the lingering presence of two police trucks always parked nearby.

The trucks have been on patrol there every day since October 10, when the campaign for this weekend’s presidential polls began. They are among some 44,000 police and soldiers the government has deployed nationwide to, it says, “guarantee a secure and peaceful election”.

While the officers at the Sapeurs-Pompiers crossroad stay inside their vehicles, their presence has deepened a sense of unease felt by many across the West African nation as Saturday’s vote draws near.

“Ivorians are living in fear,” said Jean, a 42-year-old frail-looking civil servant who, like others interviewed by Al Jazeera, asked to be identified only by his first name due to fears of retaliation from the authorities.

“Even to go to work, we don’t go out before sunrise. People are preoccupied,” he said.

It is common for many Ivorians to wake up before dawn to go to work, but travelling in the dark during periods of political uncertainty stirs painful memories – such as of the September 2002 coup attempt, which happened early on a weekday morning, and led to the killing of at least 270 people.

Ivory Coast is West Africa’s second-largest economy and a regional powerhouse. But the country of some 32 million people has a dark history of political and electoral violence.

This year’s vote – during which the two main opposition leaders are barred from running; the president is running for a fourth term; and there have been protests and mass arrests ahead of the polls – could turn volatile, according to residents and analysts.

Tensions rose in the country in June after four prominent opposition figures were excluded from the electoral roll. Among them were former president Laurent Gbagbo and Tidjane Thiam, a banker once seen as a rising star.