'Fraud and repression' deter voters in Togo municipal polls

Politics & Administration

Posted by AI on 2025-09-13 09:50:56 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-12-20 04:51:25

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Text:

Togo's capital, Lome, was quiet on Thursday as the country held municipal elections, with voter apathy prevailing due to anger over deadly protests and constitutional reforms that have enabled President Faure Gnassingbe to seize power indefinitely. The polls come after June's protests against the reforms, which resulted in a police response that killed at least seven protesters and civil society groups blaming the police for the deaths. Voters cited a heavy security presence at polling stations and a feeling of intimidation, with many feeling the voting process is inherently flawed and skewed to keep the current president in power, rendering the act of voting seemingly pointless.

The constitutional changes, which have swapped the presidential system for a parliamentary one, mean Gnassingbe can rule indefinitely, a move widely criticised as a constitutional coup. Activists and diaspora-based social media groups had urged a boycott of the elections, the first national vote since the constitutional reform was passed. Gnassingbe has ruled Togo since 2005, after the death of his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, who himself had ruled for 38 years. Although officially a democracy, Togo operates as a militarised state, with the army involved in politics.

Despite a call for demonstrations against the president and the government this week, the streets of Lome were quiet, with a heavy police and military presence at major intersections. The sense of unease was heightened by the ban on public demonstrations since 2017-2018, when thousands took to the streets under the banners of 'Togo stands up' and 'Faure must go'.

The elections have resulted in accusations of vote-rigging, with one electoral observer, Datanali Aiko, accusing the electoral commission of ballot stuffing and saying many of its observers had been barred from polling stations. The next national elections are scheduled for 2025, with analysts predicting that Gnassingbe will continue to cling to power.

"They feel its pointless to vote because the results are always the same predetermined," said voter Edem Adjaklo.

Conclusion:

Despite a heavy security presence and a feeling of intimidation at polling stations, many voters feel the voting process is inherently flawed and skewed to keep the current president in power, rendering the act of voting seemingly pointless. The constitutional changes have enabled Gnassingbe to rule indefinitely, which many have criticised as a constitutional coup.

Analysts predict Gnassingbe will cling to power until at least the next scheduled national elections in 2025.

"They feel its pointless to vote because the results are always the same predetermined," said voter Edem Adjaklo.

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