The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced the impending arrival of a delegation in Togo on Monday, amidst escalating tensions sparked by a proposed constitutional reform believed by the opposition to extend President Faure Gnassingbe’s tenure.
ECOWAS stated that its mission aims to engage with key stakeholders regarding the latest developments in Togo, particularly ahead of legislative and regional elections scheduled for April 29.
The delegation, headed by Maman Sambo Sidikou, former leader of the African Union mission in Mali and the Sahel, will be in Togo from Monday until April 20, following an invitation extended by the Togolese government.
Tensions have heightened in Togo since last month, when legislators endorsed a constitutional reform aiming to transition the country to a parliamentary system, wherein lawmakers would elect the president for a six-year term.
Opposition groups fear this move is a strategy to prolong Gnassingbe’s rule, who has held office since 2005 and has won re-elections amidst allegations of fraud by his opponents.
Recent days have seen Togolese authorities prohibiting planned protests against the reform by opposition and civil society groups, exacerbating the already tense situation.
Public demonstrations have been banned since 2022, following an incident at a market in the capital Lome that resulted in the death of a gendarme.
With the opposition now focusing on the April 29 polls, which were rescheduled from the initial date of April 20, the political landscape in Togo remains volatile.
The National Assembly is largely dominated by Gnassingbe’s UNIR party, with Gnassingbe succeeding his father in 2005, who had ruled for nearly 38 years following a coup.
