Togo: opposition coalition calls off planned protest

Togolese opposition on Tuesday called off anti-government protests that had been planned to take place on Wednesday and Saturday in Lome and several other cities in the country.

The coalition of 14 opposition parties issued statement on Tuesday night saying that the demonstrations would not be marked by serenity, security for demonstrators and achievement of the objectives.

This is after the government imposed new routes for the march which the opposition refused to adopt.

In a letter sent Monday to the opposition, the Minister of Territorial Administration Payadowa Boukpessi had justified his decision to change the routes following “complaints” filed by residents living along the routes taken by protesters.

Anti-government sentiments have been on the rise since September 2017 in Togo which has no term limits for the president. The opposition has been pushing for the resignation of incumbent Faure Gnassingbe who has been in charge since 2005.

They’re also pushing for reforms to the electoral structure and the constitutional courts.

A dialogue that started on 19 February under the facilitation of Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo stalled in March after three rounds of talks (19 February, 23 February and 23 March).