As authorities ban a major civil society group and the Catholic Church from monitoring elections
Togo’s
president, Faure Gnassingbe, appears set to claim a fourth term at the polls
scheduled to hold on Saturday thereby extending his family’s half-century
domination of the West African nation.
After
weathering protests in 2017 and 2018, Gnassingbe pushed through constitutional
changes last year enabling him to run again — and potentially remain in power
for another decade.
The
weekly demonstrations calling for Gnassingbe to go were the biggest challenge
in years to the dynastic rule that saw him take over after the death of his
strongman father in 2005.
But
a combination of government repression and squabbling between the opposition
saw the protests fizzle out.
Gnassingbe,
53, now looks set to swat aside the other contenders.
“The
opposition was able to build a popular movement to worry the regime but then
was not able to capitalise on it,” opposition politician Nathaniel Olympio, who
is not running in the election, told AFP.
“It
shot itself in the foot.”
LONG RULE
The
president’s family has been at the helm of the country of eight million since
his father Gnassingbe Eyadema took control in 1967.
He
ran Togo with an iron fist for 38 years before the military men around him
installed his son to take over.
The
current president improved the regime’s image but it still maintains a
stranglehold over the country and its financial resources.
The
authorities have banned a major civil society group and the Catholic Church
from monitoring Saturday’s elections and critics insist it will not be free and
fair.
Gnassingbe
has made security central to his message as the nation nervously eyes the
jihadist violence rocking its neighbour Burkina Faso to the north.
SECURITY
Togo’s
Israeli-trained army and intelligence service are among the most effective in
the region and so far the country has not suffered any terror attacks.
The
president points to the problems in Burkina Faso since Blaise Compaore’s ouster
in 2014 as proof that his continued rule is vital for maintaining stability and
stopping the jihadist spread.
“The
threat is real and the pressure is very strong,” Gnassingbe told AFP as he
campaigned close to the border.
He
has also made a major play of a flagship programme that aims to provide the entire
population with power by 2030 and is pledging to create 500,000 jobs for the
youth.
POVERTY
But
after 53 years of his family’s rule the country still remains deeply
impoverished.
The
World Bank says that around half of the population live on under $1.90 (1.76
euros) per day and the authorities are widely criticised over the health
system.
Even
so, the six challengers lining up against Gnassingbe face a mammoth task to
persuade the 3.6 million registered voters to oust Gnassingbe.
Veteran
candidate Jean-Pierre Fabre came second at the last two elections but the
67-year old former human rights activist has failed to keep the opposition
united.
Agbeyome
Kodjo, who served as prime minister under Gnassingbe’s father, is seen as a
potential dark horse after winning the backing of an influential Catholic
archbishop.
One
name not on the ballot is Tikpi Atchadam, a politician from second city Sokode,
who shot to prominence in 2017 at the head of anti-government protests.
He
fled Togo for Ghana in the face of a crackdown by the authorities on his
supporters and has seen his influence dwindle.
TURNOUT
Turnout
could be a key factor if opposition supporters decide to stay away from the
polls and the president’s supporters have been chanting for him to win a
“knockout blow” with a resounding victory in the first round.
Celestin,
a driver in the northern town of Mango, echoed widespread indifference as he
said he would not bother going to vote.
“The
Togolese really don’t ask for much — development, a little work and a bit of
help to build their businesses,” he said, refusing to give his surname.
“The
opposition has let us down, they are sidelined and we don’t believe in them.”
No comments:
Post a Comment
Disclaimer: Comment expressed do not reflect the opinion of African Parliamentary News