Supporters of Togo’s ruling party are to stage a protest to counter that of opposition political parties in the country’s capital Lome on Wednesday and Thursday.
This is to show support for the President Faure Gnassingbe who is facing pressure to step down as opposition parties call for an end to his family’s dynasty.
Series of protests have already been staged by the opposition political party supporters with some deaths and injuries recorded.
Last Friday, the country’s parliament discussed several constitutional reforms in a bill sent to the lawmaking chamber but rejected several other proposals made by the opposition.
The opposition leader Jean-Pierre Fabre, on Monday sent an audio message to the Togolese people via the Whatsapp messaging service saying “My dear compatriots… we invite you once again to mobilise to take part in great numbers in the demonstrations that the democratic forces contemplate.”
“We will not have rest until Mr. Faure Gnassingbe has left power as you ask him,” Jean-Pierre Fabre further said.
Supporters of Gnassingbe’s ruling UNIR have also been urged by their leaders to pour onto the streets on the same days the opposition party supporters intend protesting raising concerns of potential clashes.
The first vice-president of the Union for the Republic (UNIR), Georges Kwawu Aidam told AFP there would be protests on Wednesday and Thursday in support of the president.
Faure Gnassingbe took over from his father Eyadema 12 years ago after he died while in power for 38 years. He has since won elections in 2005, 2010 and 2015 but got the two-term limit for presidents scrapped a year ago to allow him to further prolong his rule.
Source: Africafeeds.com
