Togo’s president takes fourth term in power

President Faure Gnassingbé has won a fourth term in power in Togo’s elections, leading to opposition complaints that the vote was rigged.

The west African nation of roughly eight million has been ruled by the 53 year old since 2005. His father, Gnassingbé Eyadéma, who held the top position for 38 years before him, took control in a military coup and was also involved in killing the first post-colonial president. Mr Gnassingbé has often been quoted as saying: “My father told me to never leave power.”

Mr Gnassingbé ran against six other candidates in Saturday’s election, with analysts saying they divided the opposition vote. The national electoral commission said he won 72 per cent of the vote, with the next closest candidate getting 18 per cent.

Repression and restrictions

Protests broke out in 2017 and 2018 after Mr Gnassingbé moved to alter the country's constitution and allow himself to run again. Dany Ayida, a governance expert and former civil society leader from Togo, told The Irish Times he was certain protests would resume following Monday's result.

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“When we know the level of repression and the restrictions on public freedoms operated by the government, we must fear that the coming months in Togo will be the most troubled that the country has known,” he said, adding that there are many problems bothering civilians.

“In addition to the problem of undemocratic governance, the problems that the Togolese encounter are economic and social. The level of corruption in the country is high. In cities, people deplore the high cost of living. The basic necessities are not accessible to a large part of the citizens. Access to drinking water, health services and electricity is a luxury for many Togolese,” he said.

‘Opportunity to complain’

Mr Ayida said it was difficult for people to have their voices heard. “Unfortunately the system is organised in such a way that people do not have the opportunity to complain. This results in a lot of resignation and multiple cases of mental illness.

"Young people are massively leaving the country because of this situation. Some go to neighbouring countries, others seek opportunities to go to Europe, the Americas or Asia, " he said.

Writing in the Guardian newspaper, Mawuna Koutonin, a journalist from Togo, also voiced frustration: "The first African country where a coup d'etat occurred after independence and where the elected head of state was assassinated, Togo stands to be the last country in Africa to see the lights of a democratic alternation . . . Only North Korea's ruling dynasty has held executive power for longer."